[Review] Recommended Reading - Paul Coccia

Summary: In this opposites-attract YA rom-com inspired by Emma, a failed romantic gesture puts a damper on a queer teen bookseller’s summer of book matching and matchmaking until a handsome lifeguard and romance skeptic waltzes into his bookstore. Sometimes you get a second chance at happily ever after when you least expect it...

Curvaceous, clever, and an avid reader, seventeen-year-old Bobby Ashton never misses a main character moment. So when it comes to asking out his crush, he plans a romantic gesture grand enough to go down in local history. Unfortunately, though, his extensive knowledge of every rom-com trope ever doesn’t prepare him for how tragically he misreads the situation. Suddenly Bobby’s very public romantic gesture turns into an ordeal so embarrassing it could be a villain origin story.

Having masterfully shattered every plan for his perfect summer before college, Bobby’s last resort is working at his uncle’s sleepy bookstore. Soon, Bobby is expertly recommending books for customers to perfectly cure what ails them. Attempting to rebound after a breakup? There’s a book for that. Trying to tame your crochety coworker? There’s a book for that too. Then a plot twist Bobby never saw coming walks through the door in the form of Luke, an unfairly attractive and staunchly anti-romantic lifeguard.

Bobby’s blossoming connection with Luke reminds him of some of his favorite tropes: grumpy-sunshine, quippy banter, and even forced proximity. But after his last romantic disaster, should Bobby use all the tricks in his arsenal to turn Luke’s head? Or is he misreading all the signs again? Do grand gestures really need to be so…grand?

Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, Kacen Callender, and Jason June, Recommended Reading is a big-hearted rom-com about discovering love beyond what’s in the books . . . but hey, the perfect recommendation can get you pretty far! (Pub Date: Jan 28 2025)

 

Let's call this a 3+, it deserves that plus.

This is a cute story. I kept thinking of the main character's potential to be overbearing and he really tried the limits but never crossed them. He's cute. And a lot of the times I felt sorry for him too. I did feel it was too much that he did manage to help people all the time with his advice, but the writer knew to set the tone for the story in a way that the un-realness of it didn't get in the way.

Not only the story is cute, the romance is too. I liked Luke, and their interactions. I don't think I'll later remember any special scene between them though. They're a good couple but they won't get you swooning much. (And I confess I kept thinking of Milo Ventimiglia in Gilmore Girls whenever they interacted, I'd love to know if Jess was the inspiration for the character who even took the uncle's name!) Their romance isn't the book's forte, as much as Bobby's coming of age is.

It's a heartwarming story to get you out of your reality and your own problems.

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 3 out of 5.