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Love by the Book
Friendship is the love story you can count on.
Remy is lucky. Her debut novel, based on her three best friends, became an instant bestseller when it was released, and her agent and publisher are clamoring for a follow-up. But just as Remy’s creative inspiration seems to leave her, so too do her friends: one moves to New York, one gets pregnant, and one gets back together with her (awful) boyfriend. After an ill-advised one-night stand complicates matters further, Remy is left deeply alone—and unable to find her next book idea.
Simone is successful. A Kindergarten teacher with a passion for kids, and a well-paying side hustle that affords her all the material comforts she desires, she doesn't have time for a robust social life. All Simone needs is her close-knit family—but after the true nature of her work is revealed, they cut her off, and she realizes for the first time just how isolated she is.
When Simone and Remy bump into each other (literally) in a bookstore, it isn’t exactly soulmates at first sight. Simone is guarded and prickly, Remy is insecure and heartbroken, and each woman is harboring a secret. And yet they might just be the missing piece the other has been searching for—if only they can let each other in.
Can Simone help Remy make one of the most important decisions of her life—and can Remy help Simone recover all that she’s lost? In Jessica George’s heartwarming, funny, and soulful second novel, she explores the restorative nature of female friendship and the life-changing power of platonic love.
Remy is lucky. Her debut novel, based on her three best friends, became an instant bestseller when it was released, and her agent and publisher are clamoring for a follow-up. But just as Remy’s creative inspiration seems to leave her, so too do her friends: one moves to New York, one gets pregnant, and one gets back together with her (awful) boyfriend. After an ill-advised one-night stand complicates matters further, Remy is left deeply alone—and unable to find her next book idea.
Simone is successful. A Kindergarten teacher with a passion for kids, and a well-paying side hustle that affords her all the material comforts she desires, she doesn't have time for a robust social life. All Simone needs is her close-knit family—but after the true nature of her work is revealed, they cut her off, and she realizes for the first time just how isolated she is.
When Simone and Remy bump into each other (literally) in a bookstore, it isn’t exactly soulmates at first sight. Simone is guarded and prickly, Remy is insecure and heartbroken, and each woman is harboring a secret. And yet they might just be the missing piece the other has been searching for—if only they can let each other in.
Can Simone help Remy make one of the most important decisions of her life—and can Remy help Simone recover all that she’s lost? In Jessica George’s heartwarming, funny, and soulful second novel, she explores the restorative nature of female friendship and the life-changing power of platonic love.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 8, 2026
About the author
Jessica George
2 books2,373 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,358 reviews
May 5, 2026
when a title is a bookish pun >>>
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
June 10, 2026
This is one of those books where the blurb tells us exactly what it is, yet I still managed to not really believe it. Here's what I was thinking it would be: a literary book about the dissolution of lifelong female friendships and the complexities of forging new ones in your thirties.
What it actually is: a sweet, platonic love story.
Other readers have been tagging this as a romance, even though it's a friendship love story, and I now completely understand why. Remy and Simone have their own meet-cute, initial misgivings, back and forth flirtations, before finding what they need in each other. I don't think I've ever read a book about friendship that so closely follows romance genre conventions.
Romance is not my genre of choice, and my rating reflects the fact that I was wrongly hoping for something more emotionally challenging and moving than it was.
I think the topic of tight-knit friendships that grow apart is still relatively unexplored— and becoming ever more prevalent with the mobility of the modern world —with authors preferring to capture enduring friendships instead. And, as ever more reports of "loneliness" suggest, people are finding it very difficult to make friends later in life.
It was not really the book for me, but it was sweet, wholesome, and easy to read. Truly, if "platonic romance" sounds appealing to you, this is it right here.
What it actually is: a sweet, platonic love story.
Other readers have been tagging this as a romance, even though it's a friendship love story, and I now completely understand why. Remy and Simone have their own meet-cute, initial misgivings, back and forth flirtations, before finding what they need in each other. I don't think I've ever read a book about friendship that so closely follows romance genre conventions.
Romance is not my genre of choice, and my rating reflects the fact that I was wrongly hoping for something more emotionally challenging and moving than it was.
I think the topic of tight-knit friendships that grow apart is still relatively unexplored— and becoming ever more prevalent with the mobility of the modern world —with authors preferring to capture enduring friendships instead. And, as ever more reports of "loneliness" suggest, people are finding it very difficult to make friends later in life.
It was not really the book for me, but it was sweet, wholesome, and easy to read. Truly, if "platonic romance" sounds appealing to you, this is it right here.
May 14, 2026
Super wholesome book about friendship. Loved how Jessica George presents the lows and the highs of friendship: the pain of a friend group dissolving, the quiet elation of meeting a new potential best friend, and the work and effort that goes into maintaining meaningful friendships. I liked the distinct personalities of our two protagonists – Remy, an earnest writer, and Simone, a more guarded Kindergarten teacher. I appreciated that George centered friendship in a true, thoughtful way in this book. As someone who loves my best friends, cares a lot about my not-as-close-though-still-great friends, and has had painful (though progressively less painful!) friendship breakups, friendship representation is so important to me. Take that, amatonormativity.
The one constructive critique I have about this book is that George’s writing style can just feel a bit plain. To me, it lacks that extra spark that really makes the characters pop off the page or come alive. Interestingly enough in the last 70 or so pages of the book I got more excited and invested in the plot and the characters, though for the first 60% of the book the writing just made the plot events and the characters come across as a bit forced. Still, I vibe deeply with the messages George relays in this novel, and I sense from her acknowledgements that she also gets the power of friendship. So I round my rating up to four stars.
The one constructive critique I have about this book is that George’s writing style can just feel a bit plain. To me, it lacks that extra spark that really makes the characters pop off the page or come alive. Interestingly enough in the last 70 or so pages of the book I got more excited and invested in the plot and the characters, though for the first 60% of the book the writing just made the plot events and the characters come across as a bit forced. Still, I vibe deeply with the messages George relays in this novel, and I sense from her acknowledgements that she also gets the power of friendship. So I round my rating up to four stars.
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.
April 12, 2026
A love story about the joys of platonic friendship: this has the potential to bring back the beloved romcom energy to the movies when it inevitably gets adapted into one.
This book is a hug in the form of words. It's about a friendship meet-cute that slowly turns into a deep friendship between two lonely women in their late 20s. It's hilarious in how it follows the exact beats of a romance (the meet-cute, the alternating chapters, the gestures, the third-act fallout), but for a friend, and even makes fun of itself a little. It ultimately won me over with its vulnerable, emotive depth in its exploration of platonic feelings. It's also commendably nontraditional in certain plot points. That said, it had its issues. The book tries its hand at being metafiction, which is more repetitive than interesting, and the characterizations are somewhat one-dimensional. 3.5 rounded up because I love romcons, and a recommendation to read if you want a cozy read about the deep love between close friends.
Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book is a hug in the form of words. It's about a friendship meet-cute that slowly turns into a deep friendship between two lonely women in their late 20s. It's hilarious in how it follows the exact beats of a romance (the meet-cute, the alternating chapters, the gestures, the third-act fallout), but for a friend, and even makes fun of itself a little. It ultimately won me over with its vulnerable, emotive depth in its exploration of platonic feelings. It's also commendably nontraditional in certain plot points. That said, it had its issues. The book tries its hand at being metafiction, which is more repetitive than interesting, and the characterizations are somewhat one-dimensional. 3.5 rounded up because I love romcons, and a recommendation to read if you want a cozy read about the deep love between close friends.
Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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.
May 22, 2026
3.75 A book highlighting the importance and strength of female friendships. 🩷🩷 While it took quite a while for me to feel pulled in by this one, I did enjoy the overall message and liked the writing style enough to want to check out Maame!
April 7, 2026
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!!
Did Not Finish
June 17, 2026DNF at 46%. I rarely DNF anything and I especially don't like dnf'ng a Netgalley book. After spending nearly 4 weeks on this novel and still not at 50% I finally had to admit that I wasn't enjoying the book much at all. There's not a lot wrong with it and many readers have enjoyed it but it just isn't my cup of tea. I'm much older than the characters and many of my really close friends have passed away or we've drifted apart so, although I can relate to the friendships, it's all in the past for me. Same goes for motherhood; my two children are middle-aged and have no children so decisions to do with having a child or not are no longer applicable. There are some glimpses of humour but I found the book slow going for the most part.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press, via Netgalley, for providing an advance copy for review. I'm sorry I didn't enjoy it more. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: April 7, 2026
My thanks to St. Martin's Press, via Netgalley, for providing an advance copy for review. I'm sorry I didn't enjoy it more. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: April 7, 2026
April 1, 2026
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. I 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 ⭐️
April 7, 2026
I have a sweet spot for Jessica George and the way she writes about relationships that touch my soul.
Remy has just wrote a bestseller. Her inspiration and support are her best friends. Life has a way of shaking things up when Remy lost her inspiration as her group of friends slowly dispersed and publishers are pushing for a follow up. She’s floundering.
Simone seems to have it all with a secure job as a kindergarten teacher and her family as her support. It’s also nice to have a little supplemental income to boost her lifestyle. However, the revelation of that supplemental income has Simone isolated from her family. Her family is all she has because Simone doesn’t have any social contacts. She’s floundering.
A series of unexpected encounters at a bookstore, a budding friendship begins. Simone opens up to Remy and Remy puts her trust in Simone. They have secrets weighing them down, but confiding in each other is like a comforting balm and forgiveness. A beautiful and heartwarming story of the power in women’s relationships. Each of these characters are carefully crafted and their dilemmas seem too big until they confide in each other and ease out on the other side.
It slowed down a bit in the middle, but it’s certainly not a deterrent. Highly recommend for fans of women’s fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for early access.
Remy has just wrote a bestseller. Her inspiration and support are her best friends. Life has a way of shaking things up when Remy lost her inspiration as her group of friends slowly dispersed and publishers are pushing for a follow up. She’s floundering.
Simone seems to have it all with a secure job as a kindergarten teacher and her family as her support. It’s also nice to have a little supplemental income to boost her lifestyle. However, the revelation of that supplemental income has Simone isolated from her family. Her family is all she has because Simone doesn’t have any social contacts. She’s floundering.
A series of unexpected encounters at a bookstore, a budding friendship begins. Simone opens up to Remy and Remy puts her trust in Simone. They have secrets weighing them down, but confiding in each other is like a comforting balm and forgiveness. A beautiful and heartwarming story of the power in women’s relationships. Each of these characters are carefully crafted and their dilemmas seem too big until they confide in each other and ease out on the other side.
It slowed down a bit in the middle, but it’s certainly not a deterrent. Highly recommend for fans of women’s fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for early access.
May 5, 2026
Love by the Book is a warm, character‑driven story about two women building a deep platonic friendship just when they both need it most. Remy and Simone’s bond is striking, especially as they help each other navigate shifting identities and big life choices. Adult friendships are so difficult to find and maintain among life's wild swerving, so I really appreciated how this novel put all that on center stage. The world needs more books about the power of platonic female friendships! I did find the pacing quite slow, and my attention sometimes wandered, but the story still carries its emotional weight well. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Jessica George for an advance copy for honest review.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Jessica George for an advance copy for honest review.
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.
June 12, 2026
I think this may be one of the BEST books I’ve read this year 🥹 I relate so much to Remy and I can’t really think of many books that focus on friendship over romantic relationships.
This was expertly done and I’m so glad that we got a deep dive into what it’s like when friendships “break up” and making new friends as an adult. Cuz it’s HARD AF!!
Simone and Remy are both complicated characters that you can't help but love. I appreciated how the "book" chapters that Remy wrote were incorporated in and it still felt like a seamless story.
Romanticizing our friendships are so important. This book is my reminder how valuable friendships can be in your life and to love on your friends just like they are your chosen family.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was expertly done and I’m so glad that we got a deep dive into what it’s like when friendships “break up” and making new friends as an adult. Cuz it’s HARD AF!!
Simone and Remy are both complicated characters that you can't help but love. I appreciated how the "book" chapters that Remy wrote were incorporated in and it still felt like a seamless story.
Romanticizing our friendships are so important. This book is my reminder how valuable friendships can be in your life and to love on your friends just like they are your chosen family.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 12, 2026
".. You and I have written the best book we could; some readers will love it and others won’t…”
Unfortunately, I fall into the latter category-also the minority, since most readers seem to adore this one.
The central theme-platonic love,adult female friendship-really appealed to me going in.Also I needed to read a book on book as goodreads spring reading challange,so I went for it.
But I didn’t appreciate the direction the story ultimately took or how it was executed.
My biggest issue was with the characters. I couldn’t connect with any of them.They consistently annoyed me, and their choices often felt frustrating and immature. At times, they came across as 30 going on 13, which made it difficult to take their conflicts seriously.
Even setting the plot aside, the writing itself felt flat to me. It lacked emotional depth, and nothing really clicked or lingered after I finished.
Unfortunately, I fall into the latter category-also the minority, since most readers seem to adore this one.
The central theme-platonic love,adult female friendship-really appealed to me going in.Also I needed to read a book on book as goodreads spring reading challange,so I went for it.
But I didn’t appreciate the direction the story ultimately took or how it was executed.
My biggest issue was with the characters. I couldn’t connect with any of them.They consistently annoyed me, and their choices often felt frustrating and immature. At times, they came across as 30 going on 13, which made it difficult to take their conflicts seriously.
Even setting the plot aside, the writing itself felt flat to me. It lacked emotional depth, and nothing really clicked or lingered after I finished.
June 17, 2026
Jessica George did it again!
When I first started reading *Love by the Book*, I genuinely thought it should have come with a disclaimer for anyone who struggles to make or keep friends. Why? Because this is easily the most realistic, unflinching exploration of adult friendship complexities I have ever read.
From her first book, Maame, I’m noticing a beautiful pattern with this author: she triggers the exact conversations most people shy away from—topics that get straight to your soul.
The story follows two women with completely opposite social landscapes. Remy is anchored by a bustling, exuberant female friendship circle, while Simone fiercely protects her solitude, even though a part of her secretly yearns for a soulful connection. When individual life aspirations begin to pull Remy’s tight-knit group apart, she is suddenly left facing a creeping sense of emptiness. This forced isolation makes her question how she loves her friends; whether she was over-performing with their friendship, and if her friends even loved her like she loved them.
I’ll be honest: the book started out so disjointed that I almost dropped it. But thank God I didn’t! Once I hit the 50% mark, the pacing picked up steadily and never looked back.
Remy represents every person who centers their entire life around deep friendships, only to realize that reciprocity isn’t guaranteed.
Her friends loved her, sure, but you could still see the hollow ache left inside her. They didn’t love her the way she loved them, and there is nothing worse than having friends who don’t match your energy; it leaves you in a cycle of despair, frustration, and constant second-guessing.
This is why I was so thrilled when she met Simone. Simone absolutely matched her energy. She understood Remy’s value and made her ‘feel’ valuable. That is the absolute best kind of friendship—knowing you don't have to over-perform just to prove you are worthy of love. Everyone deserves to experience a connection like that.
Beyond friendship, I loved how the book tackled the nuances of motherhood, parenting, and then that scene at a bookstore where different groups debated having kids, remaining childless or being in between had my heart. I found it to be highly insightful and eye-opening.
Simone’s character was a standout for me. She is so unapologetically herself, and I loved how thoughtfully the author explored sex work as a valid profession.
There are just so many good things about this book.
Love by the Book is incredibly realistic, socially on point, and packed with passages I couldn't stop highlighting. I have read plenty of books centered on friendship, but none with this level of depth and reality.
————————————
If I was to rate this by how I felt about the pacing of the first 40-50%, it would be a 3.5 star, but the rest 50-60% was absolutely worth it and utterly satisfying. And then with the in-depth subject on friendship? It’s a solid 5⭐️
When I first started reading *Love by the Book*, I genuinely thought it should have come with a disclaimer for anyone who struggles to make or keep friends. Why? Because this is easily the most realistic, unflinching exploration of adult friendship complexities I have ever read.
From her first book, Maame, I’m noticing a beautiful pattern with this author: she triggers the exact conversations most people shy away from—topics that get straight to your soul.
The story follows two women with completely opposite social landscapes. Remy is anchored by a bustling, exuberant female friendship circle, while Simone fiercely protects her solitude, even though a part of her secretly yearns for a soulful connection. When individual life aspirations begin to pull Remy’s tight-knit group apart, she is suddenly left facing a creeping sense of emptiness. This forced isolation makes her question how she loves her friends; whether she was over-performing with their friendship, and if her friends even loved her like she loved them.
I’ll be honest: the book started out so disjointed that I almost dropped it. But thank God I didn’t! Once I hit the 50% mark, the pacing picked up steadily and never looked back.
Remy represents every person who centers their entire life around deep friendships, only to realize that reciprocity isn’t guaranteed.
Her friends loved her, sure, but you could still see the hollow ache left inside her. They didn’t love her the way she loved them, and there is nothing worse than having friends who don’t match your energy; it leaves you in a cycle of despair, frustration, and constant second-guessing.
This is why I was so thrilled when she met Simone. Simone absolutely matched her energy. She understood Remy’s value and made her ‘feel’ valuable. That is the absolute best kind of friendship—knowing you don't have to over-perform just to prove you are worthy of love. Everyone deserves to experience a connection like that.
Beyond friendship, I loved how the book tackled the nuances of motherhood, parenting, and then that scene at a bookstore where different groups debated having kids, remaining childless or being in between had my heart. I found it to be highly insightful and eye-opening.
Simone’s character was a standout for me. She is so unapologetically herself, and I loved how thoughtfully the author explored sex work as a valid profession.
There are just so many good things about this book.
Love by the Book is incredibly realistic, socially on point, and packed with passages I couldn't stop highlighting. I have read plenty of books centered on friendship, but none with this level of depth and reality.
————————————
If I was to rate this by how I felt about the pacing of the first 40-50%, it would be a 3.5 star, but the rest 50-60% was absolutely worth it and utterly satisfying. And then with the in-depth subject on friendship? It’s a solid 5⭐️
April 17, 2026
I enjoyed this book and its exploration of the intensity of female friendships and if it is possible to sustain these friendships over time. I believe it certainly is, but takes commitment and effort the same as any relationship worth preserving. Further, discussions about motherhood, expectations that women should have children, being alone, defying societal pressure to conform to ideas of what a woman is were all thought provoking as well.
Remy is an author and had just published a book based on her three best friends. She herself feels no need for romantic connections and would rather deeply focus her energy on her friends. I just found her ideas of how to be a friend a bit smothering and although she, at the time, had much free time to devote to her friends, she seemed blind that her 3 Best Friends did not. To her that meant she did not have friends. That sort of friendship, I would find overwhelming. Much of this was due to the time period in the women’s lives. As the women were moving from young adults and into a more mature time of their life, relationships, motherhood, and/or career building changed the dynamic.
Remy then finds a new friend Simone, who is 25 and unapologetic of herself. She is a grade school teacher and an escort. Remy and Simone definitely have different personalities, but overtime it somehow works. It is a testament to the skill of Jessica George’s writing that I was able to be somewhat invested in this relationship. The book goes on too long with alternating chapters of Remy and Simone and the most mundane things they did for the day, such as several pages about getting a sandwich for lunch.
I do not think being a prostitute was portrayed realistically. Simone loves romantic comedies and she must have watched Pretty Women one too many times, as she says she does this work since she loves sex and money. Ok, with the money part, no need to justify how you want extra. However, I found it very hard to imagine that all these men were so nice, respectful, and satisfied her needs. It is her job to change herself to only meet their expectations. The danger of doing this was not explored. Men treating her as property and certainly some would certainly be demanding and insensitive to her. Some just unattractive, sloppy, and/or too old for her to possibly enjoy her date. It’s actually portrayed as a way for her to meet someone for a relationship. So, that was hard to get past. I did appreciate that some repercussions Simone faced, she advocated that both herself and the man should face punishment.
So, yes I did get some value out of this book. I wanted all the women featured to keep their friendships and support each other achieving goals that were important to them. The writing was well done, but I just never felt that invested in these characters.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin for a copy of this book.
Remy is an author and had just published a book based on her three best friends. She herself feels no need for romantic connections and would rather deeply focus her energy on her friends. I just found her ideas of how to be a friend a bit smothering and although she, at the time, had much free time to devote to her friends, she seemed blind that her 3 Best Friends did not. To her that meant she did not have friends. That sort of friendship, I would find overwhelming. Much of this was due to the time period in the women’s lives. As the women were moving from young adults and into a more mature time of their life, relationships, motherhood, and/or career building changed the dynamic.
Remy then finds a new friend Simone, who is 25 and unapologetic of herself. She is a grade school teacher and an escort. Remy and Simone definitely have different personalities, but overtime it somehow works. It is a testament to the skill of Jessica George’s writing that I was able to be somewhat invested in this relationship. The book goes on too long with alternating chapters of Remy and Simone and the most mundane things they did for the day, such as several pages about getting a sandwich for lunch.
I do not think being a prostitute was portrayed realistically. Simone loves romantic comedies and she must have watched Pretty Women one too many times, as she says she does this work since she loves sex and money. Ok, with the money part, no need to justify how you want extra. However, I found it very hard to imagine that all these men were so nice, respectful, and satisfied her needs. It is her job to change herself to only meet their expectations. The danger of doing this was not explored. Men treating her as property and certainly some would certainly be demanding and insensitive to her. Some just unattractive, sloppy, and/or too old for her to possibly enjoy her date. It’s actually portrayed as a way for her to meet someone for a relationship. So, that was hard to get past. I did appreciate that some repercussions Simone faced, she advocated that both herself and the man should face punishment.
So, yes I did get some value out of this book. I wanted all the women featured to keep their friendships and support each other achieving goals that were important to them. The writing was well done, but I just never felt that invested in these characters.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin for a copy of this book.
April 8, 2026
“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.”
Jessica George’s debut, Maame, was one of my favorite reads of 2023, so my expectations for Love by the Book were in the stratosphere. George’s second novel is a love story, but the romance in its pages isn’t the kind you’d expect: The focus is on platonic love between female friends - which, for many women, is no less valuable or worthwhile than romantic love, and sometimes even more important.
When Simone and Remy literally bump into each other in a bookstore (a platonic meet-cute!), it isn’t friendship at first sight. Remy is lonely and mourning the loss of her core four-woman friend group, whose lives have taken them in vastly different directions. And Simone thinks she doesn’t need friends at all; she’s a primary teacher with a lucrative side hustle, and she doesn’t have time for a social life. But they just might be exactly what the other needs.
I think most women have experienced what it feels like to grow apart from a friend you thought would be in your life forever. It’s a bittersweet feeling at best, gut-wrenching at worst, but also a completely normal thing that happens. Lives and paths diverge for many reasons, and you either make the effort to maintain certain friendships - or you don’t. Either that friend still fits with a newer version of you - or they don’t. Love by the Book explores the vast spectrum of female friendship in thoughtful, moving ways - how our friendships can morph, fade, and flourish at certain pivotal points in our lives: when we prioritize romantic relationships or careers, when we have children, when we move to a new place. It’s about letting go with grace, nurturing existing connections, and the joy of forging new, unexpected ones.
There’s something so gentle about Jessica George’s writing. Love by the Book is incredibly heartfelt and tenderly conveyed; it feels like a warm, enveloping hug even as it explores complex issues like pregnancy, romantic relationships, family drama, motherhood, career struggles, and forgiveness. The pace drags a bit in the middle, which lessened the emotional impact for me somewhat, but the book still succeeds on the strength of its characters. Simone and Remy are such gorgeous, genuine protagonists, and their interactions come across as so authentic.
In the end, Love by the Book is a story about evolution: how we evolve individually and in our friendships throughout our lives, and how the women we choose to surround ourselves with play a giant role in who we are and who we become. It didn’t hit me quite the way Maame did, but it’s still such a valuable, insightful, important book. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary reading opportunity.
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.
June 8, 2026
Love by the Book by Jessica George is a story of female friendship, the ups and the downs and how it can save each other. Four friends celebrate the immense success of the novel that Remy wrote, loosely based on their friendship group. It becomes a success and her agent is hounding her for a follow up. She tries, but can not come up with anything and she is struggling. Adding to her struggles, her three friends are moving on or away. One day in a local bookstore, Remy physically bumps into Simone. Simone is a wonderful kindergarten teacher, one who really cares for her kids, but she has a side job that she keeps quiet. She is a very private person and even though Remy would like to meet up for coffee or a meal, she turns her down. After a second meeting she agrees and they become reluctant friends. As their lives continue a downward spiral, they finally help each other to sort out their problems and become the kind of friend that each of them needs.
I enjoyed this story and it really made me think. People tease that women can't go to the washroom alone, and that they spend more time talking to their girlfriends than their husband and that might just be true. Women often have intense female friendships and I like the way they were portrayed in this story. When Remy's friends got busy with life, children and moving away, she was totally lost and needed to find something to fill the void. “Love among friends.” is very special. Themes included adult female friendships, family issues, supporting others and helping each other to be successful. Is it love? Is platonic love a thing? Absolutely. As well as the plot of the story, I really liked the characters of Simone and Remy. They were both women that made decisions about what was best for their life, even when others might not have agreed. There is a theme of family and how important that also is in their lives. Being an avid reader, I also liked the look into the publishing world, ghost writers, and the process to become a book. Being an author might be something that many people aspire to, but seeing what Remy goes through, I'm fine reading all the wonderful books instead of trying to write my own. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't perfect. It was long and some could have been cut, also the book within a book had me confused at times, especially when i was listening, but otherwise, it was a good story. I did a read listen and enjoyed both formats. Isabel Adomakoh Young narrated this book and is a new narrator to me. She did a good job giving voice to the various characters and pulling me into the story.
I enjoyed this story and it really made me think. People tease that women can't go to the washroom alone, and that they spend more time talking to their girlfriends than their husband and that might just be true. Women often have intense female friendships and I like the way they were portrayed in this story. When Remy's friends got busy with life, children and moving away, she was totally lost and needed to find something to fill the void. “Love among friends.” is very special. Themes included adult female friendships, family issues, supporting others and helping each other to be successful. Is it love? Is platonic love a thing? Absolutely. As well as the plot of the story, I really liked the characters of Simone and Remy. They were both women that made decisions about what was best for their life, even when others might not have agreed. There is a theme of family and how important that also is in their lives. Being an avid reader, I also liked the look into the publishing world, ghost writers, and the process to become a book. Being an author might be something that many people aspire to, but seeing what Remy goes through, I'm fine reading all the wonderful books instead of trying to write my own. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't perfect. It was long and some could have been cut, also the book within a book had me confused at times, especially when i was listening, but otherwise, it was a good story. I did a read listen and enjoyed both formats. Isabel Adomakoh Young narrated this book and is a new narrator to me. She did a good job giving voice to the various characters and pulling me into the story.
April 21, 2026
“Will I get over it? No. But life goes on.” -Dwight Schrute, and also me after finishing this devastatingly perfect book :’)
March 20, 2026
May this kind of love find me and stay with me. May I also be willing to give and accept this love when it does.
If anyone asks you, this is my new favourite book. A 6 star if you will.
My deepest thoughts about this book are in my journal app because they are so personal to me and I need to stop oversharing on the internet.
This book found me at the right time.
I loved Maame so much when I read it and when I saw Jessica George was releasing a new book, I preordered on Audible. In SA, we get UK release dates and for the first time in forever, we get the books first. Also the cover is so pretty. I was sold.
I knew I would love this book.
I started and stopped a few times because I was so scared of how much I would see some of myself and situations I’ve been in reflected in the book. I can’t explain it but I feel as though Jessica writes for the girls. I am the girls.
I plan on getting the actual paperback once the one independent bookstore has it in stock. Will also be getting Maame because I read on Libby but I want to look at it and annotate.
There were so many parts in this book where I teared up a little because wow… what a concept friendship is
I feel like there will be times where I’ll come back to this review to add stuff.
If anyone asks you, this is my new favourite book. A 6 star if you will.
My deepest thoughts about this book are in my journal app because they are so personal to me and I need to stop oversharing on the internet.
This book found me at the right time.
I loved Maame so much when I read it and when I saw Jessica George was releasing a new book, I preordered on Audible. In SA, we get UK release dates and for the first time in forever, we get the books first. Also the cover is so pretty. I was sold.
I knew I would love this book.
I started and stopped a few times because I was so scared of how much I would see some of myself and situations I’ve been in reflected in the book. I can’t explain it but I feel as though Jessica writes for the girls. I am the girls.
I plan on getting the actual paperback once the one independent bookstore has it in stock. Will also be getting Maame because I read on Libby but I want to look at it and annotate.
There were so many parts in this book where I teared up a little because wow… what a concept friendship is
I feel like there will be times where I’ll come back to this review to add stuff.
June 8, 2026
4-4.5 ⭐️
I love a good story about friendship. The character development was perfection… very well written story.
I love a good story about friendship. The character development was perfection… very well written story.
March 8, 2026
Loved loved loved!
I’ve been delaying this arc a little bit because romance really isn’t my top pick, so I was delighted to discover the unconventional element of the novel and the fact that it centres around friendship, for me personally my friendships truly have been my big love stories, friendship breakups far more painful than any other kind, so it was an absolute pleasure to see/hear it celebrated in all it’s complexity’s.
Jessica George is a new to me author and before I’d even finished this title I’d headed straight to audible ti wish list her debut. I loved her style I adored the characters and I really didn’t want to leave them behind.
The book covers a lot of fairly deep topics, but oddly it arrived as a friend, ready to rationally discuss them and damn well support you through them.
A special book.
Isabel Adomakoh-Young’s narration was perfect!
All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends
Huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
I’ve been delaying this arc a little bit because romance really isn’t my top pick, so I was delighted to discover the unconventional element of the novel and the fact that it centres around friendship, for me personally my friendships truly have been my big love stories, friendship breakups far more painful than any other kind, so it was an absolute pleasure to see/hear it celebrated in all it’s complexity’s.
Jessica George is a new to me author and before I’d even finished this title I’d headed straight to audible ti wish list her debut. I loved her style I adored the characters and I really didn’t want to leave them behind.
The book covers a lot of fairly deep topics, but oddly it arrived as a friend, ready to rationally discuss them and damn well support you through them.
A special book.
Isabel Adomakoh-Young’s narration was perfect!
All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends
Huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
April 25, 2026
Stopped at 74%. Couldn’t go on.
Let it be known, that Maame was one of my favorite books the year it released. I loved it sooo much. So this one was one of my most anticipated books of the year.
And.
I was disappointed.
It was supposed to be about female friendships. Platonic love. Or so I thought.
Instead. It couldn’t pick a lane.
Friendships. Asexuality. Sex workers. Married clients of sex workers who end up being teachers at the same school as the sex worker. Pregnancy. Abortion. Child endangerment. Emotional abuse. Loneliness.
This book was trying to say so much, it ended up saying nothing at all.
And then the one thing. The one plot point that I thought was supposed to pull this all together were the incredibly unrealistic friendships. The dialogue for everyone was soooo off and weird. The way the friendships were developed felt like the idea of friendships, not actual friendships.
And I understand the idea of turning this into a kind of romance, even though it’s platonic love. It’s a good idea. But honestly, the two main friends were so uncomfortably not platonic that I wished this would’ve just been a romance. It just felt so imbalanced. I can’t even explain it.
And thennn the idea of Remy being an author coming off her very well received debut book to then struggle writing her sophomore book felt too meta for me. I just kept thinking, is this Jessica George’s process? Is she writing what she’s going through? It just didn’t feel separate enough from what Jessica was trying to do. And honestly, the fictionalized versions of what was happening were so unnecessary.
All this to say. I didn’t end up finishing it. So take that with a grain of salt. But when another plot is being introduced 70% of the way in, I’m out bruh.
What a bummer.
Let it be known, that Maame was one of my favorite books the year it released. I loved it sooo much. So this one was one of my most anticipated books of the year.
And.
I was disappointed.
It was supposed to be about female friendships. Platonic love. Or so I thought.
Instead. It couldn’t pick a lane.
Friendships. Asexuality. Sex workers. Married clients of sex workers who end up being teachers at the same school as the sex worker. Pregnancy. Abortion. Child endangerment. Emotional abuse. Loneliness.
This book was trying to say so much, it ended up saying nothing at all.
And then the one thing. The one plot point that I thought was supposed to pull this all together were the incredibly unrealistic friendships. The dialogue for everyone was soooo off and weird. The way the friendships were developed felt like the idea of friendships, not actual friendships.
And I understand the idea of turning this into a kind of romance, even though it’s platonic love. It’s a good idea. But honestly, the two main friends were so uncomfortably not platonic that I wished this would’ve just been a romance. It just felt so imbalanced. I can’t even explain it.
And thennn the idea of Remy being an author coming off her very well received debut book to then struggle writing her sophomore book felt too meta for me. I just kept thinking, is this Jessica George’s process? Is she writing what she’s going through? It just didn’t feel separate enough from what Jessica was trying to do. And honestly, the fictionalized versions of what was happening were so unnecessary.
All this to say. I didn’t end up finishing it. So take that with a grain of salt. But when another plot is being introduced 70% of the way in, I’m out bruh.
What a bummer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. This book was such a miss for me and I am so sad about it. I loved Maame, so I was thrilled George finally had another book out. All of the characters were flat and/or irritating caricatures; the dialogue was stilted and weird; the book within a book concept did not work at all. The book Remy was writing (that we were forced to read chapters of) basically rehashed versions of scenes that had just happened, so it accomplished nothing besides bogging the story down and making the book much longer than it needed to be.
May 20, 2026
It was a lovely, relatable story about being women and navigating friendships at different stages of our lives—including having to pay the tax.
Did Not Finish
April 6, 2026I was so excited about this book. A story about female friendship by the author of MAAME (a book I adored!)
Unfortunately, I had to DNF at the 33% mark. I thought about DNFing earlier but I really wanted to give it a fair shot since I had been highly anticipating it.
I really loved following Remy as an author with a successful first novel but struggling to write a second one. But I thought that the interspersed chapters from said book were very redundant. I also think her journey as a single woman whose closest friendships have shifted is one we don’t see often enough and I hope to see more of those stories in the future.
There were a lot of topics and storylines in this book that are things that I just don’t want to read about. (I’ve removed the spoiler section of my NetGalley review here but feel free to DM me if you want specifics.)
In a story like this I have to want to root for the main characters and there were too many choices being made that I wasn’t a fan of and I knew this wasn’t a book for me.
Thank you St. Martins and Netgalley for the egalley!!
Unfortunately, I had to DNF at the 33% mark. I thought about DNFing earlier but I really wanted to give it a fair shot since I had been highly anticipating it.
I really loved following Remy as an author with a successful first novel but struggling to write a second one. But I thought that the interspersed chapters from said book were very redundant. I also think her journey as a single woman whose closest friendships have shifted is one we don’t see often enough and I hope to see more of those stories in the future.
There were a lot of topics and storylines in this book that are things that I just don’t want to read about. (I’ve removed the spoiler section of my NetGalley review here but feel free to DM me if you want specifics.)
In a story like this I have to want to root for the main characters and there were too many choices being made that I wasn’t a fan of and I knew this wasn’t a book for me.
Thank you St. Martins and Netgalley for the egalley!!
June 18, 2026
Jessica George is one of my favorite authors of all time!
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