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A review by aksmith92
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.0
One of my favorite things about Emily Henry's novels is that she does such a fantastic job of keeping the main characters true to who they are, unapologetically. Henry's Book Lovers made me laugh and warmed my dang heart. I loved the trope on tropes :).
With that said, I was worried about this book. It got a LOT of hype, and I loved both Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation. Would it live up to my pretty high expectations? In addition, this story was also about sisterhood, which I, unfortunately, have no experience in. Lastly, upon reading the first 50-ish pages, I continued to be nervous because folks like Nora scare the heck out of me. I grew up in a family with some control issues and had more experiences similar to Libby rather than Nora. While some folks may have disliked Libby's character, or she annoyed them, I got her. Folks who try to fix everything for someone will argue it's because they feel and care too much, and I understand that, but it's incredibly challenging to be on the receiving end and deal with someone you love not thinking you are capable. I share all of this to say that Nora honestly frustrated me sometimes.
With that said, this book DID live up to all my expectations. I loved Nora and Charlie together. They were radiant! Their banter! Ah! It was so much fun. I had a blast reading about them. I also thoroughly enjoyed Nora and Libby navigating tough decisions together. Henry does a fantastic job creating character development, layers, and nuance, which helps me better understand their actions and thoughts. Did I relate to Nora and Charlie? No! I am not a Type A person, and even if a good checklist is excellent once in a while, I can't imagine living my life like that. I bring this up because even so, I still loved Nora and Charlie, and I think a great book enables you to see the spark even if you do not necessarily relate to it.
Do I think this is a true enemies/rivals to lovers trope – no! They had maybe one relatively subpar lunch together and then maintained cordial distances at work for a couple of years. But I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for her new book to release.
With that said, I was worried about this book. It got a LOT of hype, and I loved both Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation. Would it live up to my pretty high expectations? In addition, this story was also about sisterhood, which I, unfortunately, have no experience in. Lastly, upon reading the first 50-ish pages, I continued to be nervous because folks like Nora scare the heck out of me. I grew up in a family with some control issues and had more experiences similar to Libby rather than Nora. While some folks may have disliked Libby's character, or she annoyed them, I got her. Folks who try to fix everything for someone will argue it's because they feel and care too much, and I understand that, but it's incredibly challenging to be on the receiving end and deal with someone you love not thinking you are capable. I share all of this to say that Nora honestly frustrated me sometimes.
With that said, this book DID live up to all my expectations. I loved Nora and Charlie together. They were radiant! Their banter! Ah! It was so much fun. I had a blast reading about them. I also thoroughly enjoyed Nora and Libby navigating tough decisions together. Henry does a fantastic job creating character development, layers, and nuance, which helps me better understand their actions and thoughts. Did I relate to Nora and Charlie? No! I am not a Type A person, and even if a good checklist is excellent once in a while, I can't imagine living my life like that. I bring this up because even so, I still loved Nora and Charlie, and I think a great book enables you to see the spark even if you do not necessarily relate to it.
Do I think this is a true enemies/rivals to lovers trope – no! They had maybe one relatively subpar lunch together and then maintained cordial distances at work for a couple of years. But I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for her new book to release.