Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Iubire ca la carte

my second emily henry book, and i sadly didn’t vibe with it as much. nora is so concerned with not being the girl that men want in the end because she’s too cold, too much and too high maintenance, but she’s just got some trauma. it’s not a crime to care about your career and to love the city.

i don’t like libby. i understand and get the point of her, but i find her selfish and unlikable even with her motives. also baby as a middle name??? calling nora sissy??? unacceptable. speaking of terrible names, shepherd???

charlie though. i do adore charlie and the banter between nora and charlie is this book’s strongest aspect. they are lovely, but the foundation of their relationship is quite weak for a rivals (barely even. more like hardly tolerate) to insta lovers. he’s sweet to her and understands nora fundamentally, but i can’t help but wonder how.

overall it’s fine! i got through it quickly and felt compelled to keep going. i can’t say it was my favourite though, and i am sorry about that.

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heather_freshparchment's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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hunny_bee's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Emily Henry you've done it--you've managed to snag the spot of being the first 5 star book I've read this year.

There is so much I could stay about the book and all of the things Ioved, but I'll try to keep it concise.

First and foremost, the characters. I found myself immediately connecting to Nora. Despite being the "villain" archetype, she was the most likable of all of the Henry female leads I've read. Then we have Charlie. Beautiful, gorgeous, swoon-worthy Charlie. He was SO fun to read, and i loved seeing the two of them grow with each other. Their banter was hilarious, and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times.

And their love. I fully was rooting for them every step of the way. Their love felt genuine, and I loved that neither of them compromised on the things they cared about even if they were in love. Their realistic nature made me want for it to work out between them even more.

Finally, Libby and Nora. Ugh, I love it so much. It helped make the story feel even more realized, from the way that things manifest between them to how Nora understands and processes things. As someone who also is very close to their sister and is the oldest, their dynamic is something that I deeply connected with.

Overall, an amazing novel and I can definitely see myself re-reading this again in the future.

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thestoriessofar's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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tattedtrashreader's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book takes a quintessential Hallmark plot line and peppers in some of the funniest lines I’ve ever read with a twist and modern, relatable characters. Even my husband was laughing as we listened to the audiobook on our roadtrip. He told me he was going to reenact the wine scene 😂.

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yush's review against another edition

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emotional reflective

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I’m really loving Emily Henry’s books so far. They are as much stories of growth and healing from trauma as they are romances. They are hopeful and soul crushing, and I can’t get enough!

The plot line of the siblings different views on their childhood is so accurate and validating. The portrayal of love between families both chosen and blood is heartwarming. The character of Nora is so beautiful in her flaws and her fierce care.

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cielosiluminado's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The last-page ache. The deep breath in after you’ve set the book aside.

NORA AND CHARLIE WERE SO CUTE!!!! their banter was so much fun and i have no complaints on the romance parts of the book as their relationship progressed naturally. it read like a hallmark movie and i was vibing.

ramblings about what bothered me—tldr: let my girls remain city, career-minded girls! stop taking them to small towns to “change them”. and unfortunately the sisters’ miscommunication was atrocious and overshadowed a lot of the romance parts which explains my star-rating.

some things that irked me so bad was (1) how the family angst and resolution played out and (2) how nora was considered “cold” to the very end. if she were a man, she’d be called ruthlessly ambitions and no one would say anything about her being career-focused, not wanting children, not wanting to move outside the city, etc. but because she’s a (tall) woman, she faced so much criticism, professionally and personally. i don’t understand how nora’s relationship with her sister libby is so revered when libby was one of those judgmental people that saw nora as cold and unfeeling. and how they made up so quickly which pissed me off so bad.

i understand why people love emily henry’s books and after reading this one, i can say it’s my favorite one to date.

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bookgirlieee's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

As always, Emily Henry never fails. This was a fun read.

It reminded me a bit of The Proposal - enemies to lovers, small town, his family owns a local businesses.

I love Charlie. And Nora was very real - you love her for her flaws, vulnerability.

Bit if a rush at the end (better than dragging on) and slightly jumped in character development (but again, don’t want to spend too much time on this).

Overall, would recommend reading this book!

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