Title: Love by the Book
Author: Jessica George
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: April 7, 2026
Category: Women’s Fiction
A heartfelt celebration of female friendship and the right to choose your own life in a world of double standards.
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.
Recommendation: 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.
Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓🤓– A vibrant and empowering novel that proves friendship can be the greatest love story of all.
Let’s discuss: Do you enjoy novels that center on friendships rather than romance?
Find more about Love by the Book on St. Martin’s Press.
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I read a digital copy made available by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, and this review reflects my honest opinion.