Love by the Book by Jessica George: A heartwarming story about friendship, growth, and unexpected connections

I’ll admit, when I first opened Love by the Book by Jessica George on my tablet, I paused. “Ew, a romance novel—why did I sign up for that?” I thought. Not that there’s anything wrong with romance, but it isn’t usually my cup of tea. I read the summary again and saw that it was about friendship—better, but still, what? Long story short, I was hesitant going in. But by the end, I was so glad I had given it a chance. There is so much more to this story than what the cover summary hints at, and once I got into it, I was fully invested.

The novel follows Remy and Simone, two women at very different points in their lives. Remy, fresh off the success of her debut novel, finds herself suddenly adrift as her closest friends move away, start families, or return to toxic relationships. Her creative spark is gone, and with it, her sense of belonging. Simone, meanwhile, has long relied on her independence, enjoying her well-paying side gig and a close relationship with her family. But when a hidden aspect of her life comes to light, she faces isolation for the first time. When these two women collide in a bookstore, neither is expecting the connection that follows—but both may find the friendship they didn’t know they were missing.

Remy’s journey is deeply relatable. Many of us reach a point where our long-term friend groups scatter, and the challenge of forming new connections can feel daunting. She actively seeks friendship, even when the odds seem stacked against her, which makes her both sympathetic and inspiring. Simone, on the other hand, is fiercely independent and guarded. I personally related to her more, as someone who values personal space and finds the maintenance of friendships—especially in adulthood—a delicate balancing act. Simone also navigates the complexities of keeping parts of her life private while they inevitably collide with her more public life, a tension that felt authentic and grounded.

Watching Remy struggle to write her second novel adds another layer of richness. George captures the creative process with insight and empathy—Remy is playing with story ideas, unaware that she is essentially crafting her next book, and the process feels both frustrating and enlightening.

---

---

Jessica George’s storytelling voice is a standout feature of Love by the Book. Her measured, musical prose fits the genre perfectly, and the shifting point of view—from omniscient to close personal third person—feels deliberate and fluid rather than disorienting. She also has fun playing with genre tropes; the story of a budding friendship unfolds through the lens of a traditional romance, complete with arguments, misunderstandings, and the potential for “happily ever after.” At one point, Simone even wryly observes how their friendship mirrors a romance novel arc, showing George’s playful, self-aware approach to storytelling.

Without giving away the surprises, I’ll just say that these characters are real, flawed, and lovable. Their struggles feel genuine, and the story is ultimately about the restorative power of friendship and the ways people can help each other heal and grow.

Love by the Book is set to release on April 7, 2026, and it’s a story that will stay with you long after the final page. If you enjoy heartfelt, character-driven fiction with humor, insight, and emotional depth, this one is worth a read.

What do you think? Have you ever found a friendship that changed your life? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your stories.

An advance reader copy of this book (ARC) was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Related Content

• In conversation with Jessica George, author of Maame (The Black Book Blog)
• Jessica George: Beyond being a good daughter (Shelf Awareness)
• Two books about books – Jessica George – Love by the Book and Annabel French – The Floating Venice Bookshop (Liz Dexter)
• The winning formula in Jessica George’s debut novel, Maame (Porter House Review)

Now available in print and on Kindle!

Now that Jack has been forced to reflect on everything he has to lose, he resolves to do better. He’s determined to spend more time at home with his family and repair the relationships that have suffered over the years while he’s been so focused on work. But as Callie’s behavior becomes increasingly bizarre, Jack realizes he has a lot more room to improve than he realized – and it might be too late to save his daughter after all.

For fans of We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Push, and Baby Teeth.