caelysium's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexism
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Nora, a literary agent, and her sister take a trip to a small town together.
This is not my favourite Emily Henry book. Not much really happened throughout the book, but it has some cute moments.
Nora is really struggling to find a balance in her life. Her whole life is work and protecting her sister. After their mom passed away, Nora took on that role and sacrificed so much to ensure her sister had a good life. IMHO this book is about a woman who is long overdue for some therapy. How has she gone this long without it? Also, we get it, you love NYC and are sponsored by Peloton.
The relationship between the sisters felt forced and awkward. The way they used the term "sissy" made me cringe.
This is definitely not an enemies to lovers romance. He rejected one of her books, that doesn't make him her enemy.
Charlie was kinda bland. There wasn't much substance to him. He gives up his whole life in NYC to move home and help his parents. That's nice of you. That pretty much it. He doesn't want to be there, his parents know he is miserable, but he feels like he has to sacrifice everything for them.
Their relationship is cute. They are basically the same person. They have the same interests and dreams. It makes them compatible. Their relationship moves very fast, but is very surface level.
Tropes: small town, coworkers
This is not my favourite Emily Henry book. Not much really happened throughout the book, but it has some cute moments.
Nora is really struggling to find a balance in her life. Her whole life is work and protecting her sister. After their mom passed away, Nora took on that role and sacrificed so much to ensure her sister had a good life. IMHO this book is about a woman who is long overdue for some therapy. How has she gone this long without it? Also, we get it, you love NYC and are sponsored by Peloton.
The relationship between the sisters felt forced and awkward. The way they used the term "sissy" made me cringe.
This is definitely not an enemies to lovers romance. He rejected one of her books, that doesn't make him her enemy.
Charlie was kinda bland. There wasn't much substance to him. He gives up his whole life in NYC to move home and help his parents. That's nice of you. That pretty much it. He doesn't want to be there, his parents know he is miserable, but he feels like he has to sacrifice everything for them.
Their relationship is cute. They are basically the same person. They have the same interests and dreams. It makes them compatible. Their relationship moves very fast, but is very surface level.
Tropes: small town, coworkers
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual content
shesawildflower's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I love that Emily calls out the Hallmarky-ness of stories, I love the way she spins the 'person left by the ones who found small town romance' at the beginning, I love the way it comes back full circle for Nora. Most of the characters in those hallmark movies that are 'left behind' tend to come off as cold and unloving but that's not Nora at all, sure she's feisty and career driven but she's far from uncaring. The way she has spent most of her life looking after and taking care of her sister? I felt that to my core, I relate to that on so many levels. Charlie is probably my favorite MMC that Emily has written. He's confident in a non asshole way, he's not intimidated by Nora's career or goals and he is just sweet and loving and his family is so important to him. I also related to his relationship with his dad, how much he cared for him, how much he thought he owed him because of everything he had done for him despite him not being biologically his. Nora and Charlie don't fall into the "I'm not good enough" for the other person stage which I love, the third act breakup is because of happenstance and timing, which made it feel more realistic and relatable. Sometimes, you just have to let time take its course and hope it will reward you for your patience. This book also has so many Easter eggs, which are fun. It's really a lovely story, and I loved every second of it.
I'm a sucker for a good acknowledgments section:
"For anyone who wants it all, may you find something that is more than enough"
"And I hope their story reminds you, there is no one right way to be, no one-size fits all happy ending, an no one else on earth who can be exactly who you are."
I'm a sucker for a good acknowledgments section:
"For anyone who wants it all, may you find something that is more than enough"
"And I hope their story reminds you, there is no one right way to be, no one-size fits all happy ending, an no one else on earth who can be exactly who you are."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use
indigolq's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
3.75
A fun, cheesy summer romance. I’m not entirely convinced this wasn’t written by an AI but it’s good to indulge in predictable romance from time to time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was my second attempt at the Emily Henry hype and I am so glad I liked this one! It did help more that it's dislike-to-love which is a trope I prefer. I really liked the characters of Charlie and the sister Libby. And I liked some of the plot! I think I've found that some things with Emily Henry's writing don't vibe as well for me.
- I find her FMCs pretty unlikeable... and dense? At least the two I have read. While her MMCs seem to be based on real people and are likeable, it's a strange contrast.
- I don't like some of the metaphors and descriptions. I'm still puzzled with the description that she could 'feel his laugh in her stomach'??? There were others that had me making faces or pausing while I read.
And for this book, the epilogue felt like it was written by another person or character and it was kind of odd. Could have done without. It took away from the ending for me.
Anyways I swear I did like this book quite a bit 😅
- I find her FMCs pretty unlikeable... and dense? At least the two I have read. While her MMCs seem to be based on real people and are likeable, it's a strange contrast.
- I don't like some of the metaphors and descriptions. I'm still puzzled with the description that she could 'feel his laugh in her stomach'??? There were others that had me making faces or pausing while I read.
And for this book, the epilogue felt like it was written by another person or character and it was kind of odd. Could have done without. It took away from the ending for me.
Anyways I swear I did like this book quite a bit 😅
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Death of parent, Cursing, and Grief
Minor: Chronic illness and Bullying
Fictional car accident in the book they're editingnatafiguu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
this book had everything that Beach Read and PWMOV didn't, and more. it had the connection, the intimacy, the relationship building, the backstory. it had a genuine reality to it, there were parts in the book that i related to that made me genuinely cry and laugh and every other feeling. i can't speak better about this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Medical content, and Death of parent
katievallin's review against another edition
funny
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Cursing, Grief, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
elledanie's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Death of parent
thelovelystars's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Cursing
heykylie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
This is my favorite Emily Henry so far and I think there are a few reasons that I particularly loved this one:
+ I loved Nora and Charlie as characters with real deep human insecurities and flaws and personalities and I loved that neither of them really changed who they were at their core but that instead, these two people LOVE each other BECAUSE of who they are at their cores.
+ I loved the Nora- Libby sister relationship and how much that played a part in this book. It was more than a B-plot and wove into the A-plot so effortlessly.
+ the simmering romance throughout was great...I prefer that to all the sexy stuff happening earlier in the book. A slow burn, if you will. That said, content warning for sexy scenes and language.
+ Legit good banter and dialogue. Most romcom banter is a little bit cringey and this for the most part, for some reason, was not. Actual banter, actual funny.
+ The ending was just sooooooo perfect. Not a happy ending in that everyone gets what they've predetermined that they want but something much more satisfying.
This is my favorite Emily Henry so far and I think there are a few reasons that I particularly loved this one:
+ I loved Nora and Charlie as characters with real deep human insecurities and flaws and personalities and I loved that neither of them really changed who they were at their core but that instead, these two people LOVE each other BECAUSE of who they are at their cores.
+ I loved the Nora- Libby sister relationship and how much that played a part in this book. It was more than a B-plot and wove into the A-plot so effortlessly.
+ the simmering romance throughout was great...I prefer that to all the sexy stuff happening earlier in the book. A slow burn, if you will. That said, content warning for sexy scenes and language.
+ Legit good banter and dialogue. Most romcom banter is a little bit cringey and this for the most part, for some reason, was not. Actual banter, actual funny.
+ The ending was just sooooooo perfect. Not a happy ending in that everyone gets what they've predetermined that they want but something much more satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content