I absolutely loved this adorable book! The characters are great, the development of the story is wonderful, and I can’t wait to read more by this author!

And she did it again! I’ve been lucky enough to have been reading Kristen’s books for several years. I read my first one during the COVID lockdown and discovering her and her books was one of the few good things I got out of that. Since then I’ve anxiously waited each new release cause her stories are the perfect antidote for any kind of problem, setback or malaise you may be suffering. Even if you’re feeling great, after reading one of her books you’ll feel even better, thanks to heartwarming and witty plots inhabited by characters so full of heart you’ll want them to be your friends (even though they only exist on paper).

Maths teacher Zoe meets Jack at her friend’s wedding, and sparks fly between them, but a call from her daughter will dynamite her whole world. Still reeling from her husband’s recent betrayal, she’ll meet Jack again when he turns up at her school recruited as a supply teacher. As their connection grows deeper, she’ll rediscover herself, but her complicated family situation and the age gap between them will threaten to derail this new chance on romance.

Kristen’s stories are always a good mix of romance and comedy, but this time around, maybe because some of the themes it deals with are a bit heavier (cheating, divorce, how hard can it for children, etc.), I found it relied more on the romance than the comedy, and it was equally as good (don’t worry, you have a good dose of puns and double entendres too!). Textbook Romance is at its core a story about healing, in this case after a heartbreak, but I think the lessons you can take from here are also useful after any kind of situation in which your world is turned upside down. You just gotta stop for a minute and put yourself first (selfish as it may seem) and think about what you really want and/or need without any outside interference.

Zoe, a woman in her forties, has been putting her husband and her kids’ interests first for years, to the point of forgetting a little bit who she really is. She has been looking after everyone but herself so, when presented with a new chance in love, first thing she believes is she’s not worthy of it. As always, the f***ing guilt! I loved how she was able to slowly rebuild trust in people and in herself, not paying attention to social expectations and managing to see beyond a number. Because age is just a number, and when you feel is right, it is right, no matter the age gap or whatever society has to say about it.

Jack may be youngish, but he was the most loving, kindest and respectful man ever (that scumbag Brian could learn a thing or two), and from their very first interaction at the wedding you could feel he only wanted the best for Zoe, no hidden agenda at all. I loved how their relationship unfolded in a pretty organic way, with lots of flirtation and witty banter, but nothing of that insta-love that feels so forced sometimes. And also, in true Bailey form, it had the perfect dose of spicy (and remember, emojis are charged by the devil 😈 ).

One of the things I like the most about Kristen’s books is how all of them live in the same world, with some old well kwown faces popping up every now and then. Ed and Mia from Sex Ed, have an important role in the story, but we’ll also meet back Beth, from the Callaghan sisters series. I like how this has allowed me to develop some long term relationship with Kristen’s characters. You may not see each other often, but when you do is always great fun.

The ensemble of supporting characters made a very tight group and, once again, I fell in love with most of them (not you, Brian), but my favorite was, hands down, Lottie, Zoe’s daughter. She clearly knows what she wants and how she feels and she’s not afraid to express it at all. You go, girl!

When reading a rom-com usually you can guess how it is ending right from the start, but the ending here was not what you could expect of this type of story, and I liked how Kristen chose not to go with the happy ending tied with a bow, but with a more realistic one.

Textbook Romance is an engaging, funny and more mature romance filled with amazing characters, great chemistry and a 🐓. The best textbook to study this summer!

Thanks to NetGalley and stormbooks_co for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review, and to Kristen Bailey for letting me kick off the launch party once again! 🎉😄

3,5 ⭐️

I enjoyed reading this book and read it in two sittings. The story was fastpaced and I liked the character development and the setting. At some point the story was a bit slow but it all turned well. I would’ve love to see how it all turned out for Jack and Zoe. It’s the perfect book if you’re looking for an easy/quick read with a heartwarming ending.

Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this arc.

Never quite sure what to do with a romance that starts with a MC that's married but this book had it all as it follows two characters that meet at a wedding of mutual friends and how these MCs kept being pulled together despite circumstances, age differences, families, and other factors. This book was super cute the way it all came together. A really great read.

#textbookromance
#arc
#netgalley

I fell in love with Zoe and Jack. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like this one. Then, before I knew it, hours had went by and I was at the end, sad to say goodbye. It's emotional, sweet, funny, and real. Highly recommend!

I DNF'd this one. I got just under halfway through it, and I couldn't relate to any of the characters. I didn't feel any chemistry between the FMC and MMC, either. I'm not sure if Romance Satire is just not for me or if this one title fell flat.

Zoe Swift meets friendly Jack Damon at their mutual friend’s wedding, there seems to be a connection. Not to mention, Zoe receiving the news that her husband is cheating at said wedding. Jack, ever the chivalrous gentleman, sees her home safely.

Their paths cross again when Jack is a substitute teacher at Zoe’s school, and the sparks are undeniable. Their age difference is significant - she’s 43 with two teen children, and he’s 29, sharing a house with bachelors. Can Zoe allow her heart to open up and explore this relationship? A bit on the predictable side, this was still an enjoyable story. I really liked the dynamics of the friendships as well as the relationships Zoe has with her kids. I could have used a bit more from Kate, her sister, and Mia - a mutual friend and teacher. Both are quite funny and bold.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Kristen Bailey for the eARC.

Zoe had just discovered her husband was cheating on her at a wedding where she met soon-to-be coworker Jack. Over the next few months she went through the process of adjusting to life without her husband whilst having two teenagers to take care of.

I loved how Jack wanted her to see herself in a more positive light. He was almost fifteen years younger than her which was difficult for her to be okay with but he convinced her that having a fling of sorts could work. Her friends definitely helped 😂

Her kids were the sweetest teenagers. I expected them to give her a hard time after the separation from their father but they rallied around her.

It all came down to whether Jack would stay behind especially after he got a job offer that would take him out of the country for five years. I loved how it worked out.

I listened to the audio and enjoyed it. Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been lucky enough to read a lot of Kristen Bailey's books and I can 100% say that she has smashed it out of the park again with this book! The only downside would be is how quickly I read it as I ended up being sad that I finished it so quickly.

I laughed, cried and feel in love with emotional yet very uplifting rom com, it is set as a dual POV story and was executed really well and helped to push the story forward.

Would recommend for anyone to read and I can't wait to see what is next from this author as I am now a solid fan.

This is the firsr book I have read by this author and I was pleasantly surprised!

I love when an author brings just the right amount of humour to a romance book.

I will say, I felt very attached to both of the main characters and I actually cared about what happened not only with their romance, but career and life overall. The children really brought a lot to the table. They were not in the background and I loved that! The support they showed their mother was very heartfelt.

This is a romcom yes but I felt it also had the right level of depth to add a little something more to the story.

I'm keen to read more by this author.

I enjoyed the journey that the main female character took in this book, from a single event turning her life upside down to finding herself again. The emotions that some of the characters felt at times felt very real. My biggest struggle with this book is the point of view felt odd at times to me, but that could be a personally preference. But I overall enjoyed this book and would recommend for a fun read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book!

This is a very short review.
I am recommending this book to everybody.
It’s a delicious story about family and love, and hope.
Absolutely loved it I will give it 10 stars. Anything else I write would be a spoiler I don’t believe in that.
Thanks to #NetGalley For the opportunity to have read this book ahead of publication and exchange for an honest review.


My review is ‘ Buy this Book’

I’ve never read a book by this author before but I absolutely loved it! Thank you so much for the ARC! I loved this story, it was extremely well written. Will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!

Thank you to Negalley and Storm Publishing for accepting my request for an early copy of this book.
Once again Kristen writes with her usual humour which flows throughout the book.
The story involves characters from a previous book Sex Ed (excellent audiobook!), but this is a stand alone book, they are mentioned as they are teachers, Mia and Ed, working with Zoe the main character in the book who happened to meet, by chance at a freinds wedding party Jack. That was the same night she found out her husband had been having an affair with her best freind! She was distraught and Jack had kindly offered to go home in a taxi with her.
Ed and Mia are freinds of Jack and they encouraged Jack to go for a temp job at their school and purely by chance he bumps in to Zoe. The chemistry is undeniable and it grows. Zoe doubts herself, she's getting divorced, she's older than him, her body has given birth twice, but to Jack none of that matters. They love each others company.Until Jack gets a once in a lifetime job offer and he doesn't want to take because of Zoe, but unbeknownst to Jack, Zoe knows about the job and she tells Jack they are over....
If you enjoy a book that makes you giggle, with a bit of sexy stuff in-between and some good old love and romance this is the book for you! The previous book Sex Ed on audio was amazing too!

I had mixed feelings about this book. The beginning was engaging, but I struggled with Zoe's constant questioning of Jack's affections due to their age difference. The European setting took some getting used to, and the writing style, likely influenced by European dialogue, felt slightly off to me. Despite these issues, I appreciated the unconventional happy ending and the avoidance of clichés. As someone who's neutral about age gap romances, I found the constant focus on the age difference exhausting. Overall, it was a good book, but not entirely my cup of tea.

This was such a sweet book about finding love. Zoe Swift, is a 43 year old mother who recently left her cheating husband. And she struggles to find her new sense of normal and come to terms with who she is, she meets Jack Damon, a 29 year old who hasn't found his place in life yet. There is instant chemistry.

This book had lots of great moments -- seeing how two people can come together and build each other up, how relationships aren't toxic and that love doesn't look the same every time. There were times that I wish Zoe was more aggressive and stood up for herself, and it feels a little rushed from a resolution standpoint, but for my first book from Kristen Bailey, I really enjoyed seeing these characters and sneaking away with them over a few days. If you're you're looking for something lighthearted, and no toxic male leads, highly recommend this.

This is a very sweet story about personal growth and how people can bring out the best in us. Jack is a very caring partner that is adamant on showing Zoe that she shines bright despite what her husband has done to her.

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the eARC.

This one had such a fun premise I was excited for but just fell flat for me. I struggled to connect with the characters or understand their full connection. The ending felt rushed and I just never fully got there.

Unfortunately not for me. I DNF around 30 % mark. I don’t like huge age gaps. I also can’t relate to this character outside of her job as a teacher. Her personal issues don’t appeal to me much. I really liked Kristen’s other story that I’ve had a chance to read but I couldnt get over my preferences regarding some of the tropes in this. Thank you for this opportunity Netgalley and Storm publishing

✨ARC Review ✨

Beautiful characters, Quirky moments, witty banter, betrayal, uplifting, endearing... It sums up the whole story.

This was kind of glass half full for me. So for the good parts... I loved Zoe's character and how she dealt with her lows and highs of life. Jack too was the kindness of the green flag we expect in a partner. Their relationship of trust and rediscovering themselves was endearing. Their quirky, innuendoed banter was great. The supporting characters were wholesome. Loved Mia. The way the story ended was also nice.

Now for the bad parts... I felt the dual POV kind of overlapped in some places, so it was kind of non-sticky here and there. Somehow I felt like the writing wasn't connecting with me the way I hoped it would be, so that too was kind of disappointing.

Overall, Textbook Romance by Kristen Bailey is a wholesome, enjoyable, cute Rom-com. And likeable is definitely a word for it!

And if these tropes excite you,
🍎 Age Gap
🍎 Workplace Romance
🍎 Single Parent
🍎 Slow Burn
🍎 Friends to Lovers
🍎 Insta - Love
🍎 Dual POV
🍎 Third Act Breakup
Give this a try

Thank you NetGalley, and Storm Publishing for sending me this ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.