jazhandz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.25
Coming into this book, I loved Beach Read but haaaaaated People We Meet On Vacation, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Luckily I found this charming. It was a lot of fun, very sweet, and I appreciated that it wasn’t too saccharine. Great book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Vomit
erkietheturkey's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Medical content
kelly_e's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
3.0
Title: Book Lovers
Author: Emily Henry
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: May 3, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Modern • Funny • Heartfelt
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Nora, an unapologetically fierce and cutthroat literary agent, is the heroine in her sister Libby's life. When Libby begs Nora to go to Sunshine Falls for a girls' trip away, she begrudgingly agrees. However, Libby has ulterior motives and envisions a small-town transformation and happily-ever-after for her sister.
Nora bumps into Charlie, an equally ruthless editor she has dealt with countless times before, and who just so happens to be visiting his family in the same area. Coincidentally, when Charlie starts working on one of Nora's clients books, they will be thrown together again and again.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Of course, I was highly anticipating Book Lovers release as the premise sounded so good. Unfortunately, this one just didn't live up to my expectations nor the hype.
What I like:
- that the main characters both loved books. I am here for books about books. Every. Single. Time. There were some very satisfying quotes.
- the small town setting. There is just something about small town charm that sucks me in.
- the banter. Nobody does romantic comedy banter quite like Emily Henry.
- the sister bond. Although at times feeling very co-dependent, I still enjoyed Nora and Libby's relationship. In fact, I appreciated this relationship and the portrayal of family way more than the romance.
- the portrayal of ambition. Nora is driven, independent, and knows what she wants. She wasn't looking for a knight in shining armor. I liked this.
- the portrayal of grief. There were some powerful and genuine moments and thoughts on grief that resonated greatly with me.
What I didn't like:
- that the setting didn't play a bigger role. I wanted so much more of the small town charm. It honestly felt like this could have taken place anywhere, which was disappointing.
- the characters. I wasn't drawn to any of them. And honestly I just didn't really care what happened.
- the romance. I think this story would have been fine (or even better) without the romance. I found it hard to believe.
- the length. For a rom-com it felt overly drawn out, almost like two stories in one - the romantic aspect and the family aspect.
In a nutshell, I didn't feel strongly about this one way or the other. I was left feeling a little underwhelmed when I finished, but I did learn that enemies-to-lovers is my least favourite romance trope. Maybe I was waiting for a 'wow' moment that just never came, or it has been grossly overhyped, either way this was my least favourite of Emily Henry's adult romances.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers looking for a beach read
• anyone who likes the enemies-to-lovers trope
• Emily Henry fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"In my favourite books, it's never quite the ending I want. There's always a price to be paid.
Mom and Libby liked the love stories where everything turned out perfectly, wrapped in a bow, and I've always wondered why I gravitate toward something else.
I used to think it was because people like me don't get those endings. and asking for it, hoping for it, is a way to lose something you've never even had.
The ones that speaks to me are those whose final pages admit there is no going back. That every good thing must end. That every bad thing does too, that everything does.
That is what I'm looking for every time I flip to the back of a book, compulsively checking for proof that in a life where to many things have gone wrong, there can be beauty too. That there is always hope, no matter what."
"For a decade, I've known I will never again have everything, and so all I've wanted is to believe that, someday, again, I'll have enough. The ache won't always be so bad. People like me aren't broken beyond repair. No ice ever freezes too think to thaw and no thorns ever grow too dense to be cut away."
Author: Emily Henry
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: May 3, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Modern • Funny • Heartfelt
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Nora, an unapologetically fierce and cutthroat literary agent, is the heroine in her sister Libby's life. When Libby begs Nora to go to Sunshine Falls for a girls' trip away, she begrudgingly agrees. However, Libby has ulterior motives and envisions a small-town transformation and happily-ever-after for her sister.
Nora bumps into Charlie, an equally ruthless editor she has dealt with countless times before, and who just so happens to be visiting his family in the same area. Coincidentally, when Charlie starts working on one of Nora's clients books, they will be thrown together again and again.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Of course, I was highly anticipating Book Lovers release as the premise sounded so good. Unfortunately, this one just didn't live up to my expectations nor the hype.
What I like:
- that the main characters both loved books. I am here for books about books. Every. Single. Time. There were some very satisfying quotes.
- the small town setting. There is just something about small town charm that sucks me in.
- the banter. Nobody does romantic comedy banter quite like Emily Henry.
- the sister bond. Although at times feeling very co-dependent, I still enjoyed Nora and Libby's relationship. In fact, I appreciated this relationship and the portrayal of family way more than the romance.
- the portrayal of ambition. Nora is driven, independent, and knows what she wants. She wasn't looking for a knight in shining armor. I liked this.
- the portrayal of grief. There were some powerful and genuine moments and thoughts on grief that resonated greatly with me.
What I didn't like:
- that the setting didn't play a bigger role. I wanted so much more of the small town charm. It honestly felt like this could have taken place anywhere, which was disappointing.
- the characters. I wasn't drawn to any of them. And honestly I just didn't really care what happened.
- the romance. I think this story would have been fine (or even better) without the romance. I found it hard to believe.
- the length. For a rom-com it felt overly drawn out, almost like two stories in one - the romantic aspect and the family aspect.
In a nutshell, I didn't feel strongly about this one way or the other. I was left feeling a little underwhelmed when I finished, but I did learn that enemies-to-lovers is my least favourite romance trope. Maybe I was waiting for a 'wow' moment that just never came, or it has been grossly overhyped, either way this was my least favourite of Emily Henry's adult romances.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers looking for a beach read
• anyone who likes the enemies-to-lovers trope
• Emily Henry fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"In my favourite books, it's never quite the ending I want. There's always a price to be paid.
Mom and Libby liked the love stories where everything turned out perfectly, wrapped in a bow, and I've always wondered why I gravitate toward something else.
I used to think it was because people like me don't get those endings. and asking for it, hoping for it, is a way to lose something you've never even had.
The ones that speaks to me are those whose final pages admit there is no going back. That every good thing must end. That every bad thing does too, that everything does.
That is what I'm looking for every time I flip to the back of a book, compulsively checking for proof that in a life where to many things have gone wrong, there can be beauty too. That there is always hope, no matter what."
"For a decade, I've known I will never again have everything, and so all I've wanted is to believe that, someday, again, I'll have enough. The ache won't always be so bad. People like me aren't broken beyond repair. No ice ever freezes too think to thaw and no thorns ever grow too dense to be cut away."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Alcohol
jessicaludden's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
fast-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
5.0
“but maybe it’s possible to have more than one home. Maybe it’s possible to belong in a hundred different ways to a hundred different people and places.”
Emily Henry does it again. I loved this a lot, not as much as her other books, but I still loved it. This is probably the most direct flirting I’ve ever experienced in a book. They really weren’t holding back. I love Charlie. I love Charlie and Nora. This was great.
Emily Henry does it again. I loved this a lot, not as much as her other books, but I still loved it. This is probably the most direct flirting I’ve ever experienced in a book. They really weren’t holding back. I love Charlie. I love Charlie and Nora. This was great.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
meganlovesreading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
neera_duke's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
4.5
Didn't think Henry could top People We Meet on Vacation but boy was I wrong.
It starts slow and too self-aware, but when it gets going -it goes; the last 2 hours a complete emotional rollercoaster.
Also, it should be illegal to end a book with this
It starts slow and too self-aware, but when it gets going -it goes; the last 2 hours a complete emotional rollercoaster.
Also, it should be illegal to end a book with this
Spoiler
"For any one who wants it all, may you find something that is more than enough."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Medical content
morna's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Pregnancy
deedireads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Book Lovers is a compulsively readable, super smart book that takes a common trope (small-town romance) and and subverts every single element. Reading it was very fun.
For you if: You prefer romance novels that have a little extra something to give them more substance.
FULL REVIEW:
I don’t read very many genre romance novels; I typically prefer my romance plots to live inside fantasy novels. That said, I do keep an eye out for the kinds of romance novels that have a little extra oomph; more literary characters or interesting experimentation or uncommon representation, something like that. Luckily, a friend who knows my reading tastes well flagged Book Lovers as a good one for me, and when my library hold came in during vacation, I knew it was the perfect time.
For me, what made this book so fun to read (aside from it having a strong plot and great characters and excellent steamy scenes) is the way it takes a common trope — small-town romance — and subverts it so completely. It 100% flips all the elements on their head in a way that is just smart and creative and enagaging. For that reason, I don’t want to tell you much about the plot, but suffice to say that the main character is the spiky-heeled, ambitious NYC woman that gets dumped and left behind when all the romance novel dudes take a trip to some small town and fall in love with the innkeeper’s daughter or whatever. So that’s the first subversion, and it only grows from there.
Another fun thing about this book: It’s a bit of inside baseball on the publishing industry, since the main character is a literary agent and the love interest, Charlie, is a sought-after editor at a big publishing house. (Hence the title.) Last thing I’ll say is that Julia Whelan reads the audiobook (I switched between ebook and audiobook), and I can’t imagine experiencing this story without her sultry rendition of Charlie’s voice. Just incredible stuff.
If you’re looking for a fast, fun, super readable book that plays with genre in a smart way, give this one a go. And yes, I count myself a proud new member of the Emily Henry fan club.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Book Lovers is a compulsively readable, super smart book that takes a common trope (small-town romance) and and subverts every single element. Reading it was very fun.
For you if: You prefer romance novels that have a little extra something to give them more substance.
FULL REVIEW:
I don’t read very many genre romance novels; I typically prefer my romance plots to live inside fantasy novels. That said, I do keep an eye out for the kinds of romance novels that have a little extra oomph; more literary characters or interesting experimentation or uncommon representation, something like that. Luckily, a friend who knows my reading tastes well flagged Book Lovers as a good one for me, and when my library hold came in during vacation, I knew it was the perfect time.
For me, what made this book so fun to read (aside from it having a strong plot and great characters and excellent steamy scenes) is the way it takes a common trope — small-town romance — and subverts it so completely. It 100% flips all the elements on their head in a way that is just smart and creative and enagaging. For that reason, I don’t want to tell you much about the plot, but suffice to say that the main character is the spiky-heeled, ambitious NYC woman that gets dumped and left behind when all the romance novel dudes take a trip to some small town and fall in love with the innkeeper’s daughter or whatever. So that’s the first subversion, and it only grows from there.
Another fun thing about this book: It’s a bit of inside baseball on the publishing industry, since the main character is a literary agent and the love interest, Charlie, is a sought-after editor at a big publishing house. (Hence the title.) Last thing I’ll say is that Julia Whelan reads the audiobook (I switched between ebook and audiobook), and I can’t imagine experiencing this story without her sultry rendition of Charlie’s voice. Just incredible stuff.
If you’re looking for a fast, fun, super readable book that plays with genre in a smart way, give this one a go. And yes, I count myself a proud new member of the Emily Henry fan club.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent and Panic attacks/disorders
hannahmayhere's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent
Moderate: Pregnancy, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
goodreadgoodtea'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
Wrapping up summer and welcoming in fall with a quick book review.
BOOK LOVERS by Emily Henry is comical, emotional, and a tiny bit cheesy. I don’t know why I waited so long read it!
The cast of characters is dynamic and each one holds their own complexities. The plot is energized and engaging. Sure, some of it was predictable with some cheesy tropes, but the predictability was worth it and the cheesy tropes were poked at in the book, too!
Book Lovers is a romance novel, and it’s so much more. The characters have to navigate grief, love, heartbreak, family, and careers, all while figuring out who they are and who they want to be.
This book may not be perfect but it is 100% worth it.
BOOK LOVERS by Emily Henry is comical, emotional, and a tiny bit cheesy. I don’t know why I waited so long read it!
The cast of characters is dynamic and each one holds their own complexities. The plot is energized and engaging. Sure, some of it was predictable with some cheesy tropes, but the predictability was worth it and the cheesy tropes were poked at in the book, too!
Book Lovers is a romance novel, and it’s so much more. The characters have to navigate grief, love, heartbreak, family, and careers, all while figuring out who they are and who they want to be.
This book may not be perfect but it is 100% worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Medical content, and Sexual content