By the Book

by Amanda Sellet

Mary Porter-Malcolm has prepared for high school in the one way she knows how: an extensive review of classic literature to help navigate the friendships, romantic liaisons, and overall drama she has come to expect from such an "esteemed" institution. When some new friends seem in danger of falling for the same tricks employed since the days of Austen and Tolstoy, Mary swoops in to create the Scoundrel Survival Guide, using archetypes of literature's debonair bad boys to signal red flags. But despite her best efforts, she soon finds herself unable to listen to her own good advice and falling for a supposed cad-the same one she warned her friends away from. Without a convenient rain-swept moor to flee to, Mary is forced to admit that real life doesn't follow the same rules as fiction and that if she wants a happy ending, she's going to have to write it herself.

• ISBN10: 0358156645
• ISBN13: 9780358156642
• Publish Date: 12 May 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Clarion Books
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

It wasn't easy being the introvert of the family, but Mary was happy to live her life within the pages of her favorite 19th-century books. However, when she is forced to switch schools, she finds herself shunned by her former friend. She is lucky enough to find a trio of young women, who appreciate Mary's bookish leanings, but will she be able to fully navigate high school, her new friendships, and a maybe romance by the book?

In a word, this book was DELIGHTFUL! It put a smile on my face from the very first page, which never faded.

Mary captured my heart from our very first meeting. I can totally relate to being undone by any life change, big or small, but having to start over in a new school sophomore year is far from easy. To make it worse, her frienemy from her previous school decides to "unburden" herself, and cuts Mary loose. So, obviously my heart broke for her, but I was also proud of the way she dusted herself off, and took a chance by talking to Terry, Lydia, and Arden. This trio became such an important part of Mary's being, and I simply adored the friendship they shared.

Arden was probably my favorite of the friends. She was personality plus, and I loved the enthusiasm she had for just about everything. The fact that she planned a "season" for Mary, for her high school coming out, endeared her even more to me, and I had a great time attending each "event" with this bunch.

I also loved Mary's family. She had this big, bookish family, which was chaotic and wonderful! Sellet did such a incredible job pulling us into the Porter-Malcolm home. I had such a fantastic time getting to know all Mary's siblings, and getting to see the dynamic in her family. Mary often pointed out how money was tight, but let me tell you, there was no shortage of love or attention. They sat down at dinner together almost every night, and actually talked to one another. They supported each others passions as well, by attending matches and plays. I also had a stupendous time at quiz night with the Get Lit team. By the end of the book, I was so enamored with them, that I was ready to claim my spot in the Porter-Malcolm family.

Alongside all the family fun and friendship antics was a charming romance. I guess you would call it hate-to-love, and it was precious. The banter between Mary and Alex was delectable, and I could not get enough of them. I was pleased that there was a lot more to Alex than met the eye, and was glad Mary was able to see it too.

This book kept me in a constant state of elation! The strong focus on family and friendship coupled with an absolutely adorable romance will always win me over. And, although I am not a big 19-century lit reader, I thought the references were so fun. I mean, WWJAD - What Would Jane Austen Do? FANTASTIC!

For me, there were no flaws in this book. The story was fun and sweet, and it filled me up with so much mirth. This was a lovely and enchanting read, and I hope Sellet has a LOT more stories like this coming our way.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[Leigha]

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Mary learns about the ins and out of friendship, romance, and family in this oh so adorable young adult romance.

I saw this book when I attended YALLfest in November. It was on display at the publisher table, but they did not have any physical copies to give out at the time. I was happy to find it available on Edelweiss days later!

I’m a huge lover of romance, and the romance in this book is super, chocolaty, gooey cute. But guys, the friendships. THE FRIENDSHIPS. Mary’s growing relationship with Arden, Lydia, and Terry are perfection. Their banter, their support, and their quest to categorize every person is life. This book shows the importance of friendships – from those friends you outgrow to those friends you find when you least expect.

Back to the romance – it’s subtle, but really sweet. Alex and Mary’s relationship is not the focus of much of the novel, but he is very much the leading man. I adore how the book turns Mary’s perceptions of a hero and villain on her head. It’s an earned moment when Mary comes full circle – is she the hero, the cad, or somewhere in-between?

tl;dr An utterly adorable book focused on friends and family with a sweet twist of romance.