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A review by now_booking
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
5.0
The truth is that I knew from the prologue this was going to be a 5-star read. The way the premise of the cold-hearted city villain partner from the small town romance trope is so perfectly described in Nora and that first meeting with Charlie… that prologue like the entire novel had me kicking my feet and squealing, snickering on my commute, laughing out loud at home. This has banter, emotional depth, a boatload of humour and wonderful love story of familial and romantic love and grief and healing. I can’t share enough superlatives about this book.
Nora and Charlie are the unapologetic antithesis to small town romance protagonists even though most of this book and the development of their relationship happens in a small town. The character development was stellar of both main and supporting characters, the plot was well-paced with minimal/palatable holes, the dialogue was smart and snappy and the sort to make you smile foolishly as you read. I loved how the main characters loved each other and their families in a way that was inconveniently supportive and in a way that truly wanted the best for the other person. The message hear wasn’t necessarily that love heals or that love sacrifices but that love wants the other person to thrive. This was an absolute delight to read- I kept reaching for it and even though it dealt with a few heavy themes around grief, trauma and mental health, these were all handled responsibly and with a momentum that was real but also wasn’t triggering as it kind of replicated the coping mechanisms many people have for dealing with grief and trauma when they have real life responsibilities. I highly recommend checking this out- I’ve read 3 books so far from this author and they have all been stellar!
Nora and Charlie are the unapologetic antithesis to small town romance protagonists even though most of this book and the development of their relationship happens in a small town. The character development was stellar of both main and supporting characters, the plot was well-paced with minimal/palatable holes, the dialogue was smart and snappy and the sort to make you smile foolishly as you read. I loved how the main characters loved each other and their families in a way that was inconveniently supportive and in a way that truly wanted the best for the other person. The message hear wasn’t necessarily that love heals or that love sacrifices but that love wants the other person to thrive. This was an absolute delight to read- I kept reaching for it and even though it dealt with a few heavy themes around grief, trauma and mental health, these were all handled responsibly and with a momentum that was real but also wasn’t triggering as it kind of replicated the coping mechanisms many people have for dealing with grief and trauma when they have real life responsibilities. I highly recommend checking this out- I’ve read 3 books so far from this author and they have all been stellar!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, and Vomit