Title: Book Lovers
Author: Emily Henry
Genre: Romance
Publishes On: May 3, 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Source: physical (Target Exclusive Edition)
Pages: 416
Synopsis:
One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming…
Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.
Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.
If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.
My thoughts
(Spoiler free)
When Emily Henry’s Beach Read is your favorite book ever, the book you consider perfect, it’s hard to read and review any of her other books without very high expectations. I think Beach Read was just lightning in a bottle for me, the perfect book at the perfect time. So while I enjoyed Book Lovers thoroughly, laughing and crying at all the right places, it didn’t quite reach the Beach Read status for me.
But I love that Emily Henry has created the anti-rom-com heroine in Nora, a love story for the character that is usually the one that gets left behind when the hero falls for the quirky, lovable bookish love interest. HOWEVER, it’s the quirky, lovable bookish character that I most identify with, that steals my heart, so it’s those kinds of romances that I’m drawn to the most. But I can still appreciate the need for more stories like Book Lovers.
I adored the chemistry between our two main characters. The build-up was the best kind of torture. I loved that Charlie and Nora were so similar. Most romances are about opposites attracting, but their similarities had me rooting for them.
“Sometimes, even when you start with the last page and you think you know everything, a book finds a way to surprise you.”
Emily Henry, Book Lovers
There were a few issues that kept this one from being a five-star read for me. It pains me to say this, but there were a few times I felt like I was being told something instead of shown. Nora is described as this “shark” of an agent in the publishing world, but I never really felt that about her. I wish Henry would have given us a scene illustrating her cutthroat style. And I never understood or connected with the book that Nora and Charlie are working on together. It just sounded meh for a book that’s supposed to be a hit.
I also think it didn’t help that I’d recently read The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, another enemies-to-lovers rom-com set in the publishing world that I absolutely loved. But I did speed through Book Lovers, enjoying it more and more as I read, so it’s definitely a must-read for fans of Emily Henry!
(My copy of Book Lovers from Target also included the short story “Layover”, which is a kind of epilogue for Beach Read. It’s a must-read for fans!)
Rating:
About the Author
Emily Henry writes stories about love and family for both teens and adults. She studied creative writing at Hope College and the now-defunct New York Center for Art & Media Studies.
A Song For A Book
Emily Henry has included a few songs and artists within the pages of Book Lovers. I couldn’t find an official playlist, so of course I had to create my own. 😉 I’ll share it below, but I’ve chosen to highlight Taylor Swift’s “Lover”!
…Can I go where you go?
Can we always be this close forever and ever?
And ah, take me out, and take me home (forever and ever)
You’re my, my, my, my
Oh, you’re my, my, my, my
Darling, you’re my, my, my, my
Lover
Have you read Book Lovers? Did you add it to your tbr? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
Sorry, this didn’t quite reach favorites status, but I am glad you still enjoyed it.
Yeah, I try really hard not to compare Henry’s other books to Beach Read, but it’s just impossible for me not to. 🤦♀️😃
I”m listening to this now, It’s been slow going for me, mostly because I just haven’t found the time to sit and listen. But, so far I’m enjoying it.
It did take me longer to get into than her previous books, but I think by the mid-point I was invested. 🙂 I look forward to hearing what you thought about it!
People We Meet on Vacation and A Million Junes are probably my favorite Henry books, but heck, I loved them all. The romance was honestly my favorite part of this story. Those two were so good together, but I also liked Nora’s personal journey. I was really happy for everyone by the end of this book.
I haven’t read A Million Junes, but I’m adding it to my tbr so thanks for the recommendation! 😊
I just got the audiobook from the library and will be listening to this one shortly. Too bad it is not as good as Beach Read, but it is hard to meet that excellent status with every book. Great review, Dedra.