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Friendship is the love story you can count on.

Discussion of abortion.

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.

Don't just take our word for it...

“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) 🌟

“As ever, Jessica George’s astute eye and wry wit make for a refreshing read that’s equally as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. Love by the Book goes deeper than just celebrating friendship—it delves into the challenge of navigating its inevitable shifts as we grow older. An endearing story that’s bound to resonate.”
– Mikki Brammer, USA Today bestselling author of The Collected Regrets of Clover

“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

Taste the very first page

Remy Baidoo, author of These Four Friends, is joined in conversation with journalist Ruth Tola to celebrate the release of her debut novel in paperback.

Ruth: Can I just gush for a moment? [laughs] I have to tell you how much I loved These Four Friends, and I’ll get into why later on, but for those who haven’t read it yet, can you tell us what it’s about?

Remy: Of course! And thank you, by the way. So, TFF [These Four Friends] is about the journey of friendship. The readers follow four women, each one with their own unique personality, who form a tight sisterhood, and risk it breaking. It’s about the ups and downs in a decade- long friendship, and the women involved have to make a choice— much like committed partners do— in the face of issues relating to careers, family, relocation, and other loved ones, whether to stay together and make it work, or part ways.

Ruth: That’s a story I imagine many readers will relate to. Is it fair to say your own friendships inspired you to write a book like this?

Remy: In part, yes, but I’ve always loved stories about female friendship. [smiles] I just think love among friends deserves more discussion and praise than it currently gets. It’s not really its own genre yet so I used to hunt for it in every book I read. It’s usually there, but as a secondary plotline to finding a partner, or getting a promotion at work, or ruling a kingdom— that’s more fantasy, maybe— but finding and/or preserving healthy friendships is rarely the crux of a story. Friends either aren’t deemed important enough in the grand scheme of things, or they’re taken for granted, but to assume a person will always have friends, or be able to make friends should they find themselves without any, is a very large gamble. [pauses] Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on. I just . . . friendship means a lot to me, I guess.

Ruth: No, don’t apologize. After reading TFF, your respect for friendship is obvious, and I couldn’t agree more! I take it your friendship group is as enviable as the one in your book?

April 2026