Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - Writers & Lovers

i had to text my friends immediately after i finished the book and tell them how good it was. Writers and Lovers was a bit slow on the beginning, but i couldn’t put it down. i felt like i was Casey. or she was a close friend. i had to know she was ok. i had to know which guy she would choose and if she would finish her book and if she had cancer or not. and as a writer there are so many good insights and inspiring bits. <3 will definitely be rereading and recommending to so many people.

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kyliebloch's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective sad 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

3.75

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samarakroeger's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

I'm conflicted because I really really did not like the first ~1/3 of the book, but then I found myself really liking the second half. kinda feels like two different people wrote the sections of this book -- the first half was pretentious, overwritten, and not very engaging. I was bored. I did not notice these issues in the latter half of the book.

I'm really glad I stuck with this book (ended up reading it in one day) despite the shaky start. I did find the storyline and Casey's ultimate path to be pretty predictable (to be fair, I would have been mad had she made different decisions). parts of it reminded me of Miss Iceland (restaurants, aspiring writers, mediocre men, mental illness), and parts of it reminded me of You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty (not a compliment).

I'd give the first third 2 stars but the rest of the book 4/5, so I'll settle with 3.5.

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deenmachine's review against another edition

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hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

The ending wrapped up a little too neatly.

Like the confession and kiss? Very movie-romcom. And I didn't think Silas had enough personality to justify that choice in the love triangle.

But still had some really lovely musings on grief, life not turning out the way you wanted, and anxiety keeping you from doing what you want to do.

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imanqblake's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

Wow! Where do I start? I haven't been able to read much if these types of books before, and normally stick to fast-paced books with young heroines defying the set system or romancing an unseducable man.

However, this book is completely different from that but pulled me in all the same. The MC is a woman in her early thirties, a writer boggled down with the death of her mother, her downfalls in life, and the fear of loneliness. It feels like you're stepping into this very real person's life, and the imagery in this book doesn't feel pretentious or try-hard. The emotions portrayed feel like what a real person might feel in that Era of their lives, and the lessons she picked up along the way aren't forced down our throats.

It's an easy read, one filled with a MC that is relatable to the female audience.

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hkburke2's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Slow burn. The MC was aggravating for me, but in a way that means she felt real and like someone I should be able to reason with? Very immersive.

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lindseyhall44's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

Originally, when I picked up Writers and Lovers, I had assumed it would be a romance with a cast of artists. While romance is a subplot throughout the novel, the focus is more on grief, a creative calling, and the transition from one point of your life to another.
Writers and Lovers follows Casey, a thirty-one year old waitress who dreams of becoming a writer. After the death of her mother, her life is at the point of upheaval, becoming even more tumultuous when she becomes romantically involved with two men.
The idea of childhood or even young/new adult disillusionment, especially in regards to a creative life, is a key point, as most of her friends have given up this pursuit for stable and well paying jobs. The setting of a restaurant-both humorous and exhausting-highlights Casey’s ambitions extremely well. This paired with the narrative allows readers to really get into Casey’s head in an extremely relatable way.
Writers and Lovers is messy, hopeful, and in the end beautiful, and I would recommend checking it out (after searching trigger warnings as always).

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jswisher36's review against another edition

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dark funny inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

If this book was a song, it would be Funeral by Phoebe Bridgers.

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