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Must Love Books Kindle Edition

by Shauna Robinson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 497 ratings
Editors' pick Best Romance
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"A heartfelt and exciting debut...a wise and honest story of how it feels to be a young woman in search of yourself."—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill meets Younger in a heartfelt debut following a young woman who discovers she'll have to ditch the "dream job" and write her own story to find her happy ending.

Meet Nora Hughes—the overworked, underpaid, last bookish assistant standing. At least for now.

When Nora landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, it was her first step towards The Dream Job. Because, honestly, is there anything dreamier than making books for a living? But after five years of lunch orders, finicky authors, and per my last emails, Nora has come to one grand conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist.

With her life spiraling and the Parsons staff sinking, Nora gets hit with even worse news. Parsons is cutting her already unlivable salary. Unable to afford her rent and without even the novels she once loved as a comfort, Nora decides to moonlight for a rival publisher to make ends meet...and maybe poach some Parsons' authors along the way.

But when Andrew Santos, a bestselling Parsons author no one can afford to lose is thrown into the mix, Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie. Her new Dream Job, ever-optimistic Andrew, or...herself and her future.

Your next book club read touching on mental health, happiness, and the peaks and perils of being a young woman just trying to figure it all out. Nora Hughes is the perfect heroine for anyone looking to get past their own chapter twenty-something and build their storybook life.

"A tender reflection on finding your person while you're still desperately searching for yourself."—KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters

"A book for book lovers... It's impossible not to root for Nora!"—Jesse Q. Sutanto, National Bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties

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  1. Print length
    333 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Sourcebooks Landmark
  5. Publication date
    January 18, 2022
  6. File size
    1876 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

"A heartfelt and exciting debut." -Taylor Jenkins Reid, NYT bestselling author

Praise from Kirkus Reviews

Praise from Jesse Q. Sutano, National bestselling author

Praise from Booklist

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Must Love Books is a heartfelt and exciting debut. With a relatable protagonist in Nora, frank discussions of the Millennial experience, and pitch-perfect sweetness, Shauna Robinson puts forth a wise and honest story of how it feels to be a young woman in search of yourself." ― Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising

"If you are, or have ever been, a twenty-something searching for meaning, identity or your happy ending, you will love this book. " ― Ms. Magazine

"Readers will be rooting for Nora from the first page and experiencing her grand highs and heartbreaking lows with their entire heart. Get comfy because you won't be able to put this book down!" ― Sajni Patel, award-winning author of The Trouble with Hating You

"A book for book lovers that takes a hard look at the predatory approach of the corporate world with a heroine who's easy to love and root for. I enjoyed all of the inside look at the publishing industry from the perspective of a young woman scraping together all of her wits just to get by. It's impossible not to root for Nora!" ― Jesse Q. Sutanto, National Bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties

"It's refreshing to read a book about publishing with a half-Black heroine who's wryly aware of the way she stands out in a very White field." ― Kirkus Reviews

"A compelling love story, dishy publishing goss, and a chic urban setting? Yes, yes, yes! But like the works she shepherds through publication, Shauna Robinson's true-to-life story of a struggling editorial assistant is much more than the sum of its parts. Within the pages of Must Love Books the lucky reader will find themselves on an poignant journey of a young booklover with too little support and too many dreams--a place we've all been at one point or another. With emotional honesty and a surprising wit that I found addictive, Robinson's debut is everything a book-about-books fan wants in a novel." ― Kelly Harms, Washington Post bestselling author of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

While the general tone is light, Robinson doesn’t shy away from the darker side of burnout, and Nora’s despair and frustration provide balance and realism. Must Love Books will resonate with readers who are drawn to millennial-workplace stories like Camille Perri’s The Assistants (2016). ― Booklist

"Honest, relatable, and real, Must Love Books is a tender reflection on finding your person while you’re still desperately searching for yourself rolled up in a thoughtful novel about the changing work world." ― KJ Dell’Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters

"A heartfelt, relatable and thoughtfully-observed story of a young woman's journey to find happiness and fulfilment." ― Lauren Ho, author of Last Tang Standing

"Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson is an absolute must-read." ― PopSugar

"Must Love Books will resonate with readers who are drawn to millennial-workplace stories like Camille Perri’s The Assistants." ― Booklist

About the Author

Shauna Robinson’s love of books led her to try a career in publishing before deciding she’d rather write books instead. Originally from San Diego, she now lives in Virginia with her husband and their sleepy greyhound. Shauna is an introvert at heart―she spends most of her time reading, baking, and figuring out the politest way to avoid social interaction. Must Love Books is her debut novel.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08YRX2JFD
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Landmark (January 18, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 18, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1876 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 333 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1728240735
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 497 ratings

About the author

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Shauna Robinson

Shauna Robinson

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Shauna Robinson’s love of books led her to try a career in publishing before deciding she’d rather write books instead. Originally from San Diego, she now lives in Virginia with her husband and their sleepy greyhound. Shauna is an introvert at heart—she spends most of her time reading, baking, and figuring out the politest way to avoid social interaction. She is the author of Must Love Books and The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
497 global ratings
Not a Romcom but Behind-the-Scenes of Working in Publishing
3 Stars
Not a Romcom but Behind-the-Scenes of Working in Publishing
I love books about books so my eye was drawn to the title and illustrated cover of Shauna Robinson's debut novel Must Love Books. Thankfully fellow readers alerted me that this isn't a romcom but an honest look at working in publishing. TW: suicidal thoughtsThe premise: The main character is 20-something Nora who works for a publisher of business/non-fiction titles in NYC. She was so excited to be employed as an editorial assistant and dreamed of becoming an editor. However, five years later, she's stuck in the same position working on books that don't sell, mourning changes in the office environment, and doing the work of at least two (entry-level) positions. She's unhappy with her professional and personal life and begins to think everything would be easier if she wasn't around any longer.Then a small mistake on a bestselling author's sandwich order gets Nora noticed, and things quickly get far more complicated than she could imagine. Can a good development in her personal life bring bad things to her career? Do "dream jobs" really exist?My thoughts: I'm glad I went into this book with a hint of its mood and subject; it's definitely not a romcom. I appreciated the honest look at an industry that is often romanticized and the struggles its employees face, and I enjoyed the unique relationship between Nora and Andrew. I had issues keeping track of Nora's coworkers, and I was surprised by the mental health plotline - it seemed to come out of nowhere, but maybe that's what it's like for some who live it. I was grateful to read this via audiobook and thought Tyra Kennedy's narration captured Nora's personality well.Many thanks to OrangeSky Audio for the advanced listening copy; all thoughts are my own.
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Top reviews from the United States

Thicc & Ired
4.0 out of 5 stars 4.0 / 5.0
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2023
Verified Purchase
Realistic and very well written. The characters are believable, the plot and dialogue are entertaining, and the ending is satisfying in a ‘their story continues’ sort of way. For a contemporary romance with a lot of information about publishing and likable characters, this was a complete success. If you’re looking for a more trope trend book, this won’t be completely for you but I think you should read it anyhow.

Until Next Time,
MC
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Wynter Lee
3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Expected
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
I picked up this book because I loved the idea of the conflicts the main character was going through though the book is different then I anticipated, such as I wouldn’t really classify it as a romance book. More of a book about a main character struggling with depression and holding on to some huge secrets. I liked that idea to a degree but honestly wish I’d known that’s what a lot of what the book would be about.
I enjoyed the book and would possibly read it again. I thought while the characters are semi likeable they really fell flat. There wasn’t really anything interesting about either of them. I didn’t get to really learn anything about their likes or dislikes. The main male interest also didn’t have any quirks or flaws. They were just somehow too perfect without being interesting.
The book is more about finding yourself after you’re burned out. Not bad, just not what I expected based off the cover or blurb.
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Melissa Dinwiddie
5.0 out of 5 stars Booknapped!
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
Getting a job in publishing seemed like a dream to Nora… until “restructuring” laid off her two favorite editors, and then her best friend left to work at a startup. To cap it off, her own meager salary is cut 15%, leaving her unable to make ends meet.

In a stroke of ill-advised brilliance, Nora takes a freelance position at a competing publisher. So now she has two jobs that she has to keep secret from each other, compounding her stress.

Add to this mix handsome author Andrew Santos, a hot property that her publisher is desperate to re-sign. If Nora can persuade him to sign the contract, it could help her position at the company.

On the other hand, if she could get him to sign with the rival company, it might help her chances for a full-time position…

Meanwhile, sparks are flying between Nora and Andrew, and there could be something real here. So trying to get him to sign *any* contract just feels wrong!

And underneath all of this is Nora’s existential confusion. Face it: she’s not really happy. In fact, she’s wrestling with some pretty dark feelings a lot of the time. Is it possible to even change that? Is there more to life than being an editorial assistant?

Must Love Books is a romcom for anyone who’s ever wondered what to do with their life. It’s a book for anyone who’s ever made a mistake and wondered if there’s light on the other side. It’s a book for anyone who loves books.
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Reese
4.0 out of 5 stars I really liked it
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2024
Verified Purchase
3.5 Book club pick

Must Love Books has been on my TBR for such a long time, but I kept putting it off so I decided to make it my pick for book club. When I picked this one up it was in the romance section so I was hoping for a true love story. While there was a romance in it, I would not say it was the central point of the story and there was no true HEA. While this one did not really check the boxes I was expecting, I will say that I did really enjoy the relationship between Nora and Andrew. I related so much to Nora. From losing her work bestie (to another company), to being the only person of color in a room at any given time, to her social anxiety and not being where she thought she would be in her life. With all of that said I will say that while I enjoyed the premise of this one, and loved that it was set in the bookish world at about 50% in, this one did take a bit of dark turn (trigger warning for suicidal thoughts, and depression). While I felt like the subject was handled with care, I was not expecting it. This was the first book I've read by this author, and I am really looking forward to Then Banned Bookshop by her.
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe love books?
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a journey about trying to find the love of books... And life Its about depression... So that can of course be depressing. Its about love, but just a bit. Its and OK read, but its not one I must love.
One person found this helpful
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Carey Calvert
5.0 out of 5 stars ... a must read.
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2022
Verified Purchase
In a tweet marking the release of her debut, Shauna Robinson stated she started writing Must Love Books six years ago, when she was working in publishing and feeling lost.

And in this ode to finding one's self, Robinson does an outstanding job, turning what one could consider a light and airy read to a read that refuses to be light and airy.

Nora has worked in publishing for 5 years and what once seemed her dream job at Parsons has become anything but.

Amid layoffs, budget cuts, attrition, and the departure of friends she saw as family, Nora is struggling; a looming paycut doesn't help.

It does however necessitate Nora taking some risks.

One of those risks is taking a freelance position at rival publisher, Weber, while still working at Parsons.

Enter hotshot author Andrew Santos whom Parsons needs to sign to remain relevant.

The task to woo Santos falls in Nora's lap, which is further complicated by an interest that transcends the publishing world.

But don't let the melodrama fool you - Must Love Books is a must read.

One of Parson's books said something about visualizing one's goals to achieve transformation.

Reading had always been Nora's comfort, her escape, and her goal was to help people the way books had helped Nora.

To help someone feel connected to something. Help someone feel less alone.
5 people found this helpful
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Naturalist
4.0 out of 5 stars really enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Once you get inside Nora’s head you won’t look back. Nora has been at her publishing house job for five years and sees no future to becoming an editor. She is stuck reading boring business books, that is until she meets Andrew, a young, exciting author. You will go on this journey of self discovery with Nora, descend into the pitfalls, cringe at some decisions, yet throughout will find Nora birth relatable and familiar. For those who love all things books, a little romance, friendships, identity pursuits and more, grab this book, curl up and spend some time in the publishing world with a cast of characters.
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Top reviews from other countries

BananaTricky
3.0 out of 5 stars So-so romance between writer and aspiring editor
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
Nora has worked at Parsons Press for five years. Originally she was bright eyed and bushy tailed (metaphorically speaking), eager to progress and become a fully-fledged editor. Now her dreams are in tatters, her San Francisco division deals mainly in non-fiction, self-help style books, the editorial staff has been cut numerous times so that she is doing the job of three people for no extra pay, and to cap it all she has now been told that Head Office have decreed a 15% pay cut. Already struggling to make rent on her dingy flatshare, Nora is desperate to find another job. However, the only thing she is offered is a freelance position with a rival publisher for six months, with potential to become permanent. Since she can't live on either 'salary' Nora decides the easiest option would be to do both jobs, she thinks she can fit in the freelance work around her work at Parsons Press.

One of Parsons Press' few rising stars is Andrew Santos, who co-authored the umpteenth edition of an old stalwart and made it fresh and vibrant. After the original author died, Andrew wil author all future editions and Parsons is eager to get him to sign a new contract for future books. After initially almost sending Andrew into anaphylactic shock by getting his food order wrong, Nora runs into him again at a conference where he is hte keynote speaker and she is selling books in the lobby. Andrew and Nora strike up a connection, but Nora is conflicted. Her boss at Parsons has told her that if she can help land Santos' contract there is a strong probability of a promotion and a payrise. However, Nora is also aware that if she could introduce Andrew to the rival, much smaller, publisher it would greatly enhance her chances of securing a permanent position.

Watch as Nora tries to juggle two jobs, balance her conflicting professional desires with her burgeoning relationship with Andrew, and battle her own depression/suicidal thoughts.

Can I say I liked it, but I didn't love it? Much is made of the fact that Nora and Andrew are both people of colour in the blurb but honestly aside from a couple of minor references I didn't get that feeling, I guess what I'm trying to say is that those references could have been to Nora coming from Wyoming or Australia, I didn't really feel that sense of 'other' in a predominantly white world/industry. Nora's issues seems more of her generation and the decline in the print industry than of her ethnicity.

Also, I had the feeling that Nora (and this may be linked to what I have diagnosed as her depression) wasn't a very good friend. It seemed as though the people she deemed friends were always there for her, always inviting her to places/things but she only reciprocated when she wanted something, eg her flatmate often asked if she wanted to binge-watch their favourite baking show together but Nora brushed her off, for no good reason as far as I can tell.

So, drum-roll, I liked it, but I didn't love it.
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