LOVE BY THE BOOK
Friendship is the love story you can count on.
Remy is lucky. Her debut novel, based on her three best friends, became an instant bestseller when it was released, and her agent and publisher are clamoring for a follow-up. But just as Remy’s creative inspiration seems to leave her, so too do her friends: one moves to New York, one gets pregnant, and one gets back together with her (awful) boyfriend. After an ill-advised one-night stand complicates matters further, Remy is left deeply alone—and unable to find her next book idea.
Simone is successful. A Kindergarten teacher with a passion for kids,
Friendship is the love story you can count on.
Remy is lucky. Her debut novel, based on her three best friends, became an instant bestseller when it was released, and her agent and publisher are clamoring for a follow-up. But just as Remy’s creative inspiration seems to leave her, so too do her friends: one moves to New York, one gets pregnant, and one gets back together with her (awful) boyfriend. After an ill-advised one-night stand complicates matters further, Remy is left deeply alone—and unable to find her next book idea.
Simone is successful. A Kindergarten teacher with a passion for kids, and a well-paying side hustle that affords her all the material comforts she desires, she doesn’t have time for a robust social life. All Simone needs is her close-knit family—but after the true nature of her work is revealed, they cut her off, and she realizes for the first time just how isolated she is.
When Simone and Remy bump into each other (literally) in a bookstore, it isn’t exactly soulmates at first sight. Simone is guarded and prickly, Remy is insecure and heartbroken, and each woman is harboring a secret. And yet they might just be the missing piece the other has been searching for—if only they can let each other in.
Can Simone help Remy make one of the most important decisions of her life—and can Remy help Simone recover all that she’s lost? In Jessica George’s heartwarming, funny, and soulful second novel, she explores the restorative nature of female friendship and the life-changing power of platonic love.
- Macmillan Audio
- Audio
- April 2026
- 12 hours 5 minutes
- 9781250433800
Buy the Book
$26.99
About Jessica George
Jessica George is the New York Times bestselling author of Maame. She was born and raised in London to Ghanaian parents and studied English Literature at the University of Sheffield.
Praise
“George has crafted a story here in which friendship is just as important, if not more so, than romantic or sexual partnership…[and] writes with an uncommon degree of care and nuance about complicated topics. In a sea of romances, this novel stands out for asserting that friendship can be a love story, too. A beautiful and all-too-rare look at the importance of platonic love.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“A fresh perspective on female friendship.” —Publishers Weekly
“Love by the Book reads like a rom com for platonic friendship. After Maame, Jessica George brings us another fresh look at young women’s lives. Love by the Book offers a charming and nuanced take on contemporary friendships, putting the spotlight on the value of different kinds of love in people’s lives. A celebration of women’s friendships and families, in various configurations.” —Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake
Discussion Questions
- How do the various forms of communication highlighted within the audiobook––emails/text messages/voice memos, as well as the references to Remy’s life as a writer, like the podcast transcript and book excerpts––help the author tell her story? Did they augment the atmosphere for you?
- A major theme woven throughout the narrative is the significance and romantic nature of platonic love, whether within friendships or family. Can friends feel like family, and can family feel like friends? What are some unique aspects of platonic love that are explored in this novel?
- As Remy grapples with whether or not she wants to be a mother, she asks several people’s opinions. Why do you think she instinctively turns to others, rather than initially turning inward? How does she evolve and ultimately come to her decision?
- Simone says, “It surprises me how much people want to find a trauma-based reason for any decision that goes against the grain. . . . I’m not a sex worker because I had a bad childhood; I don’t not want children because my parents were mean. I grew up in a loving, attentive, and financially stable home.” How did you react to these statements from Simone? Was it your first instinct that this is simply a job Simone enjoys, or did you find yourself wondering if something negative had happened that led her to sex work?
- What role do technology and social media play in people feeling both lonely and connected today? What do you think it takes to have a decades-long friendship?
- “This year I learned that being alone and being lonely are two different things.” Based on what you listened to, how would you articulate the difference between the two? What do you think Love by the Book suggests about the importance of community and deep connections?
- Discuss the evolution of Simone and Remy’s friendship. In what ways do you believe they helped each other grow? How did their relationship impact Remy’s second book and vice versa?
- How did this audiobook impact you, and what emotions and conclusions did it leave you with?