A review by sirissacgluten
Book Lovers, by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
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
4.5
Emily Henry has done it again!! Book Lovers is a sweet, funny, emotional romance about two people learning to prioritize themselves after years of self-sacrifice.
Nora, an intense, no-nonsense literary agent from NYC, finds herself in a sleepy small town in North Carolina with her beloved (and very pregnant) sister for a sibling getaway. While in the town’s sole coffee shop, she runs into Charlie, a successful, stern editor who left a lackluster impression on her back in the big city. Thrown together over her client’s latest manuscript, the two begin to thaw each other’s emotional walls as they discuss duty, grief, regret, belonging, and loneliness.
I genuinely laughed out loud multiple times throughout this; Emily Henry has a way of writing snappy dialogue that feels authentic rather than contrived, and the characters’ inside jokes include the reader, drawing us into their world right alongside them. The scene of place is also very strong, with the odes to New York particularly poignant. And the core romance is both simple and complicated, a testament to the realistic ties that bind and break us.
4.5/5: Another strong romance by Emily Henry with compelling characters, great writing, and an honest heart.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Nora, an intense, no-nonsense literary agent from NYC, finds herself in a sleepy small town in North Carolina with her beloved (and very pregnant) sister for a sibling getaway. While in the town’s sole coffee shop, she runs into Charlie, a successful, stern editor who left a lackluster impression on her back in the big city. Thrown together over her client’s latest manuscript, the two begin to thaw each other’s emotional walls as they discuss duty, grief, regret, belonging, and loneliness.
I genuinely laughed out loud multiple times throughout this; Emily Henry has a way of writing snappy dialogue that feels authentic rather than contrived, and the characters’ inside jokes include the reader, drawing us into their world right alongside them. The scene of place is also very strong, with the odes to New York particularly poignant. And the core romance is both simple and complicated, a testament to the realistic ties that bind and break us.
4.5/5: Another strong romance by Emily Henry with compelling characters, great writing, and an honest heart.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, and Vomit