I was very much looking forward to the advance review copy of Love By the Book (publication day April 7. 2026) by Jessica George, as I loved her first book, Maame. I was not disappointed!!
Remington (Remi) is a twentysomething writer, the daughter of a single mother by choice, and one of a group of four tight-knit friends (the others are Melissa, Nova, and Lin). They have been so close, all living in London, for the last ten years that Remi’s first book is titled These Four Friends, and is based on their friendship. But now Lin has gotten a promotion that will require her to move to New York; Melissa and her husband have just gotten pregnant, and Nova gets back together with her terrible boyfriend, leaving Remi alone and adrift. Her editor is asking for ideas for her second book, but she can’t seem to come up with anything viable.
Simone is alone as well but doesn’t believe she’s adrift. She hadn’t ever had many friends, because she was always super-close to her sister, Jenni. But they haven’t been in contact for the last several months, after Jenni’s fiance said something unforgivable when he came to meet the family. But Simone has her routine–she’s a Year One teacher at a school and loves her students. She goes out to eat by herself, trying new restaurants, and stops at the bookstore every Saturday. And by night, she enjoys her second job without a trace of shame, and it makes her comfortable life possible.
Remi and Simone meet at the bookstore, and then run into each other later. Remi is fascinated by Simone, how self-contained she is, and how little of herself she seems to share with others. Remi is an oversharer, and insists on becoming Simone’s friend. And soon they have plenty to discuss, as they are both foodies, and Remi has a big decision to make.
It’s so good! I loved these characters, and the idea that platonic friendship can be romantic, and in fact, should be romantic! I loved falling into friendship with Remi and Simone, and reading about the restaurants they went to and the food they ate, and how Remi’s original four friendship group realized that though things may not look like they once did, that doesn’t mean that they mean any less to one another.
Reading While Fat 