By The Book surprised me, both in good and bad ways. I was intrigued because I knew this was a retelling of Persuasion (which is one of my favorite books), plus I love a good second chance romance, so this seemed perfect for me. I enjoyed the book overall, but it was the romance for Anne that felt lackluster. Honestly, I would barely even call this book a romance at all, it felt more like a fiction novel. That being said, the story was one that I couldn't put down – I finished it in only a few hours. I was hooked on the heroine and her struggles. I had different expectations for the romance, but other than that, I'd recommend this if you're interested in books related to academics and literature!