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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Got Mail in this charming and hilarious rom-com following two teen booksellers whose rivalry is taken to the next level as they compete for the top bookseller bonus.
Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape.
When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan.
Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down.
But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects…
Review
If you’ve ever worked in a bookstore or retail around the holiday season, you will appreciate Recommended for You! Shoshanna’s car is broken down and with her employer running a competition for a pay bonus, she is out for blood. In comes brand new employee Jake, who doesn’t even read, and you have a recipe for fierce job site fighting. Be prepared for stealing customers, snarky comments and a fight for the P.A. system. There’s baking, widely diverse characters, and real life drama. I appreciated that the book is suitable for middle grade or younger adult readers. It also highlights Jewish culture and a strong single mother/ son duo. The relationships are relatable, with plenty of room for growth. Shoshanna is in the arc of learning to make mature decisions instead of fixing everything around her. Frank is inventive and creative. Pick this one up during the holidays– perfect around Christmas and Hanukkah.
Thank you Margaret K. McElderry Books for the light bookish rom-com!
Content and trigger warnings: divorce, online bullying, codependency, absent parent, 2 female parents.
Other Reviews
“Hijinx and hilarity ensue in Laura Silverman’s fresh spin on the workplace rom-com. With a lovable cast of characters led by rival booksellers who are impossible not to root for, RECOMMENDED FOR YOU is like stepping foot into your favorite local bookstore—cozy, comforting, and absolutely charming.” — Marisa Kanter, author of What I Like About You
“Sweet and endearing, with a headstrong heroine you can’t help but root for, RECOMMENDED FOR YOU is the kind of story that makes your bookish heart sing. Laura Silverman delivers a cozy, swoon-worthy read dedicated to the bookworm in all of us.” — Ashley Poston, author of the Once Upon a Con series.
“A whipped cream dollop of a rom-com with an irresistible bookish setup.” ― BookPage
“A delightful coming-of-age story…destined for rom-com fans.” ― School Library Journal
About the Author
LAURA SILVERMAN earned her MFA in Writing for Children at the New School. She is the author of Girl Out of Water and You Asked for Perfect. You can reach out on Twitter at @LJSilverman1 or through her website LauraSilvermanWrites.com.
