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noellegrace8's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Henry has this way of writing romances but not in the traditional way - instead, hers are always about a lot more than that. Mostly, they focus on self-improvement and realizations, and working through one's past. This one delved into the complicated nature of the human being/ the human condition.
The plot was clever and cute - the whole bet scenario. And I liked that the rivals-to-lovers wasn't simply a misunderstanding, it was genuinely murky circumstances and their relationship required some actual character development/learning.
I will say, tbh, screw January's dad, and kind of screw Sonya as well. While some background on them did make me understand what happened with them better, it didn't make it any more okay. They were crappy. Him in particular.
I will also say that there were some moments January got on my nerves. She had this audacity where she felt entitled to Gus's feelings or thoughts, completely blind to his pain. I also felt that Henry tried to write January as a very extraverted-hopeful-person-in-a-rare-rut type of gal, but after the initial description, she didn't really live up to that. She was a lot more mellow, jaded, etc. than we were at first led to believe, and it's not like she ever made it back around to being that person. Regardless, she was interesting and intrigued me.
An absolutely worthwhile read.
I give Julia Whelan 4.5/5⭐️. Normally she's easily a 5⭐️-er, but there were a few moments this time that I didn't prefer, such as January's dad having a kind of southern accent even though he's from Michigan/Ohio area.
The plot was clever and cute - the whole bet scenario. And I liked that the rivals-to-lovers wasn't simply a misunderstanding, it was genuinely murky circumstances and their relationship required some actual character development/learning.
I will say, tbh, screw January's dad, and kind of screw Sonya as well. While some background on them did make me understand what happened with them better, it didn't make it any more okay. They were crappy. Him in particular.
I will also say that there were some moments January got on my nerves. She had this audacity where she felt entitled to Gus's feelings or thoughts, completely blind to his pain. I also felt that Henry tried to write January as a very extraverted-hopeful-person-in-a-rare-rut type of gal, but after the initial description, she didn't really live up to that. She was a lot more mellow, jaded, etc. than we were at first led to believe, and it's not like she ever made it back around to being that person. Regardless, she was interesting and intrigued me.
An absolutely worthwhile read.
I give Julia Whelan 4.5/5⭐️. Normally she's easily a 5⭐️-er, but there were a few moments this time that I didn't prefer, such as January's dad having a kind of southern accent even though he's from Michigan/Ohio area.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
sestout's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
_b0ok_l0v3r's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Vomit, Trafficking, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
- 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 mean, it's a rom-com set in a lakeside town about an author with written block, getting it on with another author/guy she fancied in college. It has it's flaws but ultimately it's a great, feel good rom-com.
Some things of note:
-Bless her fornot reading the letter from her Dad immediately. I'm glad she found she had so many more of them to hold onto.
-The sarcastic banter. Top notch.
-You could cut the sexual tension with a knife.
-The part whereher father's affair partner forces her to listen to what she has to say when she's clearly already crying and not ready to/interested in listening was brutal. Just because you feel like you need to say something doesn't mean she has to listen!
-The cult stuff felt a bit odd to include in a rom-com of this vibe. I'm assuming that this is the cater to the true crime obsessed?
-Them finallybreaking the sexual tension with sex... In the tent by the burnt out graveyard of the cult? After they'd both been so affected by seeing it? But somehow immediately forgot about that? Like what?
-The 'this can't get any worse, then the Labrador farted' bit 😂
- Further to this,if they had just set the tent up for keeping their laptops dry if it rained, surely they wouldn't have brought sleeping mats and sleeping bags? So how did they spend the night? Surely it was the most uncomfortable place to have sex then sleep?
- Is it just me that found the ending reallystupid? How is 'oh yeah, I ignored you after my wife turned up because I wanted to go back with her when she asked but actually after 24 hours I guess I like you a lot more' good? That's so hurtful!
- Mix that withthe 'marriage is the worst and if I think about it, you're the only person where the idea of it doesn't fill me with utter dread' and it's comes off even stranger. Flash to the epilogue where they're getting engaged a year after the start of the book/meeting (again). I get that he was saying marrying her didn't feel like an awful idea but with it being in what was basically a speech about marriage filling him with dread it felt odd.
When I started the book, I hated it. It was the 'I'm a romance author and just luuuvv talking about my life in third person, oh what am I like!' but at the start that almost did me in but this was thankfully dropped almost immediately.
I almost stopped reading pretty quickly but I'm glad I kept on with it and ultimately, it was a really fun rom-com and exactly what I was in the mood for.
Some things of note:
-Bless her for
-The sarcastic banter. Top notch.
-You could cut the sexual tension with a knife.
-The part where
-
-Them finally
-The 'this can't get any worse, then the Labrador farted' bit 😂
- Further to this,
- Is it just me that found the ending really
- Mix that with
When I started the book, I hated it. It was the 'I'm a romance author and just luuuvv talking about my life in third person, oh what am I like!' but at the start that almost did me in but this was thankfully dropped almost immediately.
I almost stopped reading pretty quickly but I'm glad I kept on with it and ultimately, it was a really fun rom-com and exactly what I was in the mood for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Drug use
Cult, Suicide cult, Affaircordially_phoenix's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-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
3.75
This book is...
Good for: People who want a contemporary romance with a little bit of spice and a heaping side of grief. Perfect for those trying to learn to love life again.
Not great for: People who want something super lighthearted OR something on the spicy side.
Good for: People who want a contemporary romance with a little bit of spice and a heaping side of grief. Perfect for those trying to learn to love life again.
Not great for: People who want something super lighthearted OR something on the spicy side.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Torture and Fire/Fire injury
reminiscences's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
one_more_chapter96's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Just like every other EH book, this story left me utterly heartbroken at so many points whilst also being so full of light and sweet and happy moments. January was very relatable and I adored Gus and the mystery and complexity of him and her trying to figure him out. The twists and turns and the complexities of all the relationships in the book were so bittersweet but this story was beautiful. Made me laugh and cry and swoon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Alcohol
zeynus's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Car accident and Fire/Fire injury
r_oy_s's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Somehow I had a hunch in the beginning that this book was meant to be savored, not rushed through to get to the end. And boy I wasn't wrong.
January Andrews, a popular romance writer moves into a lake house for the summer to spend her days by the water clearing her writer's block so that she can write her next bestseller and meanwhile comes face to face with some family secrets that upended her life. Coincidentally, she comes across Augustus Everett, a famous literary fiction writer as her neighbour who also happened to be her college nemesis. Lo and behold, Gus is also going through a tough writing process. So, together they strike a deal to get out of this rut by switching out their preferred writing genre with each other and help one another to understand the process of writing their newly assigned genre fiction. The only condition is that : they must not fall in love with each other. Righttt.
This was my first time reading an Emily Henry book therefore I wasn't sure what to expect. What drew me in was the promise of good old trope enemies-to-lovers romance. But, it was more than that. There was ample of witty, flirty and humourous banter between Gus and January that sure had me laughing but in between there were also family dramas, insecurities, betrayal, heartbreak, lust, angst, unconditional parental love, battle with terminal illness, abusive relationship, perseverance, friendship that withstand every ups and downs of life, grief of losing a loved one, joy, new found hope, second chance at love, trust, happiness and life - an amalgamation of contrasting experiences of human life skillfully captured by the author between the pages. I could relate with January on a personal level regarding her never ending grief of paternal loss. That's why when she started reading those letters from her father my heart felt like it was breaking into tiny little pieces. It was somewhat a cathartic experience nevertheless.
While January might be sometimes a little awkward, blunt who wears her heart on her sleeves, oftentimes her spurts of contemplation and maturity took me by surprise. Whereas Gus was the broody, mysterious one who prefers to keep his emotions in check and his considerateness proved that he's more than meets the eye. Although their perception of life, values, beliefs might not be the same but somehow they click together perfectly. Both of their journeys of self-discovery intertwined with the process from their disliking for one another to companionship and ultimately towards intimacy was beautifully woven. Even though the entire book is written from January's POV the few inclusion of Gus's POV made it worthwhile. The crackling tension between these two was so palpable that I was about to lose my goddamn mind. Every word coming out of Gus' mouth had me sighing, giggling, blushing and swooning! He's the true gem.
The title mi ht seem to be a deceiving one because it's not your typical fun, light beach read rather it consists of more substance and emotional depth than it suggests. It's another evidence of the author's incisive humour which was present throughout the book and her attempt to make a clever jab at the common perception of women's literary fiction. Even though the ending was wholesome, I was hoping to get more of January and Gus as a couple living together but I guess the author was mindful to pay attention to their need for happy-for-now. Regardless, the rollercoaster ride of emotions, infused with a healthy dose of sarcasm and love written with perfect pace made the journey of Gus and January and unforgettable read and they will always have a piece of my heart.
January Andrews, a popular romance writer moves into a lake house for the summer to spend her days by the water clearing her writer's block so that she can write her next bestseller and meanwhile comes face to face with some family secrets that upended her life. Coincidentally, she comes across Augustus Everett, a famous literary fiction writer as her neighbour who also happened to be her college nemesis. Lo and behold, Gus is also going through a tough writing process. So, together they strike a deal to get out of this rut by switching out their preferred writing genre with each other and help one another to understand the process of writing their newly assigned genre fiction. The only condition is that : they must not fall in love with each other. Righttt.
This was my first time reading an Emily Henry book therefore I wasn't sure what to expect. What drew me in was the promise of good old trope enemies-to-lovers romance. But, it was more than that. There was ample of witty, flirty and humourous banter between Gus and January that sure had me laughing but in between there were also family dramas, insecurities, betrayal, heartbreak, lust, angst, unconditional parental love, battle with terminal illness, abusive relationship, perseverance, friendship that withstand every ups and downs of life, grief of losing a loved one, joy, new found hope, second chance at love, trust, happiness and life - an amalgamation of contrasting experiences of human life skillfully captured by the author between the pages. I could relate with January on a personal level regarding her never ending grief of paternal loss. That's why when she started reading those letters from her father my heart felt like it was breaking into tiny little pieces. It was somewhat a cathartic experience nevertheless.
While January might be sometimes a little awkward, blunt who wears her heart on her sleeves, oftentimes her spurts of contemplation and maturity took me by surprise. Whereas Gus was the broody, mysterious one who prefers to keep his emotions in check and his considerateness proved that he's more than meets the eye. Although their perception of life, values, beliefs might not be the same but somehow they click together perfectly. Both of their journeys of self-discovery intertwined with the process from their disliking for one another to companionship and ultimately towards intimacy was beautifully woven. Even though the entire book is written from January's POV the few inclusion of Gus's POV made it worthwhile. The crackling tension between these two was so palpable that I was about to lose my goddamn mind. Every word coming out of Gus' mouth had me sighing, giggling, blushing and swooning! He's the true gem.
The title mi ht seem to be a deceiving one because it's not your typical fun, light beach read rather it consists of more substance and emotional depth than it suggests. It's another evidence of the author's incisive humour which was present throughout the book and her attempt to make a clever jab at the common perception of women's literary fiction. Even though the ending was wholesome, I was hoping to get more of January and Gus as a couple living together but I guess the author was mindful to pay attention to their need for happy-for-now. Regardless, the rollercoaster ride of emotions, infused with a healthy dose of sarcasm and love written with perfect pace made the journey of Gus and January and unforgettable read and they will always have a piece of my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
pianokeys's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent