*For my personal thoughts on By the Book check out my review of the book.
Author: Jasmine Guillory
Title: By the Book
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; Fairy Tales, Romantic Comedy
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Number of Pages: 313 pages of story text; includes acknowledgements
Geographical Setting: Primarily Santa Barbara, California, with some scenes in New York City and nearby New Jersey where the protagonist lives and works
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This is a Meant to Be novel, a Disney series that reimagines their famous fairy tales as diverse, closed door, adult romances.
Plot Summary: It’s a tale as old as time… ish…
Sort of fresh out of college, Isabelle (Izzy) is struggling to prove herself in the challenging, cutthroat, and exclusive world of book publishing. She feels like she’s languishing as an editorial assistant and would do anything to catch her big break and get a promotion, even if it means dealing with the beastly, extremely difficult Beau Towers who has missed every deadline for his book deal. Izzy’s plan to spend an afternoon with Beau to light a fire under his butt and set him on the path to finishing his book goes awry when his meddling housekeeper is injured, leading Izzy to spend longer at Beau’s home that she expected.
As his writing coach, Izzy begins to crack Beau’s hard surface and expose the complexities within. As they get to know one another, they also discover a magical spark between them. When Izzy’s job deals them both a blow, can they keep the flame alive? This Beauty and the Beast retelling deftly reimagines a familiar tale offering a contemporary take on what it means to be different and find your way and your people in the world.
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Death of one of the main characters’ parents in the past, racism, sexism, workplace harassment of the main character (NOT from the love interest).
Subject Headings: Romance - Contemporary, Romance - Romantic Comedy, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology, African American Women, Publishers and publishing fiction.
Representation:
Well-developed BIPOC main and supporting characters
Processing of trauma and grief
Appeal/Characteristics of Romance Fiction
Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- This book has an endearing “happy for now” ending. In addition to the romantic happy ending, there is also a positive resolution to the workplace harassment Izzy faces.
Characters are vividly, if quickly drawn. Men are powerful, confident, and slightly dangerous, women are strong, bright, and independent- Given that this is a retelling, the supporting characters are quickly drawn with just enough connection to the original tale that they feel fully developed because the reader can draw connections.
This book offers some challenges to the tradition hero role:Beau is the stand in for “the Beast” and while the media portrays him as dangerous, this is not the case. He is powerful physically and also because of his standing as a famous person, however he is processing grief and trauma and lacks confidence. He is a mixture of the alpha and beta male love interest.
Isabelle (Izzy) is bright, strong, and independent and doesn’t need romance. She puts her job and career goals first though, of course, romance happens along the way. She does falls within the more modern heroine stereotype.
A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- Misunderstandings are the name of the game in a Beauty and the Beast retelling but the traditional third act misunderstanding and separation are present, due in part to Izzy’s job on the other side of the country. The misunderstanding is quickly dealt with leading to a romantic wrap up including a rescue by the hero.
Engaging details of time and place attract readers, and these historical, cultural, and social particulars often frame the stories- The struggles of working in publishing feel accurately portrayed because they mirror employee critiques of the industry. The descriptions of coastal California are accurate and the technology used by characters helps to firmly plant the story in the present day.
Love on all levels- Multiple levels of love can be seen from both the characters. Izzy is regularly in contact with her best friend, Priya, and lives with her parents whom she loves very much. Beau is challenged by his parental relationships but ultimately these have happy and loving resolutions.
Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- Izzy’s parents and especially her best friend, Priya, are well-developed and feel solid and real in the story. Beau’s parents have a fully developed back story, making them feel human and making their current impacts on Beau understandable to the plot.
3 terms that best describe this book:
Charming
Smart
Sweet
Fiction Read-alikes
If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy- Readers of By the Book will want to check out this first book in the Meant to Be series, which is a Cinderella retelling featuring a shoe designer who stumbles her way onto a Bachelor-esque reality TV show in an attempt to further her career and forget about the handsome stranger she connected with on a cross-country flight.
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole- the first in acclaimed author Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series, Prince Thabiso decides to hide his royal self as he falls in love with a medical student who definitely doesn’t need romance in her life right now.
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston- In another forced-proximity romance that reimagines the results of the 2016 US election, the First Son and the Prince of Wales set off on a publicity tour to improve their images after a scandal threatens to derail their futures. Readers of By the Book will find connections in the struggles to achieve goals while in the spotlight.
Non-Fiction Read-alikes
Publishing Romance: The History of an Industry, 1940s to the Present by John Markert- the popular romance genre has a history going back to the Middle Ages, though things really kicked in to high gear in the mid-1800s. To discuss this history, Markert studies the technological and material advancements that impacted the book industry and ultimately led to the proliferation of popular romance books in the market place.
Using research and first hand interviews with industry professionals conducted in the late 1980s and the 2010s, Markert paints a picture of the intricacies of successes and discrimination in one of the most popular fiction genres in existence.
Happily Ever After- The Romance Story in Popular Culture by Catherine M. Roach- Romance fans who want to delve deeper into why romantic tales have such a prominent place in our society will enjoy romance Roach’s non-fiction examination of happy endings in our shared cultural history.
Once Upon a Time: A Short History of Fairy Tale by Marina Warner- For readers looking to explore the prominent place fairy tales still hold in our society, this brief yet detailed exploration of their history is a great starting point. Tackling the subject matter through thematically, Warner considers how these stories change and adapt over time and across cultures.
Citations
Characteristics of Romance Fiction taken from
Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.