Review: By The Book by Julia Sonneborn

By The Book by Julia Sonneborn

Published by Gallery Books on February 2018
Genres: Adult Fiction
Pages: 384
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
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4.5 Stars

An English professor struggling for tenure discovers that her ex-fiancé has just become the president of her college—and her new boss—in this whip-smart modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Persuasion.

Anne Corey is about to get schooled.

An English professor in California, she’s determined to score a position on the coveted tenure track at her college. All she’s got to do is get a book deal, snag a promotion, and boom! She’s in. But then Adam Martinez—her first love and ex-fiancé—shows up as the college’s new president.

Anne should be able to keep herself distracted. After all, she’s got a book to write, an aging father to take care of, and a new romance developing with the college’s insanely hot writer-in-residence. But no matter where she turns, there’s Adam, as smart and sexy as ever. As the school year advances and her long-buried feelings begin to resurface, Anne begins to wonder whether she just might get a second chance at love.

Funny, smart, and full of heart, this modern ode to Jane Austen’s classic explores what happens when we run into the demons of our past...and when they turn out not to be so bad, after all.

I have to admit that I’ve been in a reading slump. The book I picked for book club this month wasn’t working and I was feeling increasingly frustrated that I wasn’t enjoying it.

And then viola! I was approved to review By The Book, and out of my reading slump I came.

I love love love this book. I will buy it when it comes out. This retelling of Persuasion is sweet, heartwarming and overall a joy to read. I rooted for Anne the whole way, excited when she felt romance, jilted when Adam (her ex-finance) gave her the cold shoulder, and frustrated as the plot moves and a revelation is revealed. Anyone familiar with Jane Austen’s original will not be disappointed.

Adam is a wonderful lead guy. He’s a little prickly and cold and hard to read. I know lots of guys like that (including my husband) so it was easy for Adam to come to life. I really liked how supportive he was, how complicated their past was together, and how he grew as a person. Anne is also a perfect partner for him. She’s warm and caring and bookish. She’s quietly supportive and intelligent and fierce in her own way.

Can I just say how much I love Larry! That whole second storyline was so much fun and added a lot of humor and light to the story.

This modern day Persuasion is so much fun. Before I was even done with it, I had recommended it to a few friends and they’re eager to get their hands on it as well.

Grab it!