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sugnet's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
shelfrighteous_books's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cepayola's review
emotional
hopeful
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
mackenzieabraham's review against another edition
4.0
I’m a fan. My fave rom com author. This one is fun nostalgic thoughtful sexy moving. Romantic in a way that feels real and honest. Henry encapsulates the confusion and all-consuming experience of loving and being loved in many different ways. A sort of 30’s coming of age narrative. Her writing is wonderful. Light yet also moving and meaningful. I loved it and couldn’t put it down. Only bummer is now I have to wait a year or longer til I can get my hands on another Emily Henry book
kirsto515's review
funny
hopeful
4.25
Sweet. Fun. A little sexy. Great story of 6 friends and their happy place in Maine. Not great literature, but a page turner.
joanna1905's review
3.0
**3.75**
This was my first Emily Henry and I wasn't disappointed - it was an easy read and very enjoyable. I liked Harriet and Wyn as leads and I particularly liked Harriet's growth throughout the story. It had a lot of the components I like (exs to lovers, forced proximity, sharing a room, fake dating) and was well executed but it still felt like something was missing... I'm not sure if it was something in the plot or perhaps the writing but it just felt like it fell a bit short of being a four-star read.
I almost wish it didn't flick between the past and present as much - simply because I was so invested in the present I found myself racing through the past chapters to get to the next present. however, this is also a sign of how invested I was in the story.
I'll definitely be picking up some more of her books because I'd be interested to see how they compare.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Emily Henry and I wasn't disappointed - it was an easy read and very enjoyable. I liked Harriet and Wyn as leads and I particularly liked Harriet's growth throughout the story. It had a lot of the components I like (exs to lovers, forced proximity, sharing a room, fake dating) and was well executed but it still felt like something was missing... I'm not sure if it was something in the plot or perhaps the writing but it just felt like it fell a bit short of being a four-star read.
I almost wish it didn't flick between the past and present as much - simply because I was so invested in the present I found myself racing through the past chapters to get to the next present. however, this is also a sign of how invested I was in the story.
I'll definitely be picking up some more of her books because I'd be interested to see how they compare.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
spaces_and_solaces's review
3.0
It’s been a while since I read this book, so I fear my review of it may have changed a little. I once thought this book is on par with the author’s previous books, but my opinion has since changed. And I think that’s the mark of a truly good book, it stays with you long after, & sadly this one didn’t.
Harriet & Wyn meet during one of Harriet’s annual trips with her 2 best friends & she is instantly taken by Wyn. As their relationship develops, so do their insecurities. Carrying past trauma and emotional baggage, Harriet & Wyn’s relationship is riddled with communication gaps & insecurities.
Harriet is the younger sister of a rebellious elder sibling so all her life she has strived to maintain balance at home, not make any waves, bring home the perfect grades. Feeling unloved & being valued only for her obedience, Harriet fails to recognize her own passion and potential, leading her to pick a profession that makes her unhappy & unfulfilled. Even though she tries to be the perfect girlfriend to Wyn, she can feel him slipping away & rather than fight for this love they share, Harriet lets Wyn go.
Wyn, dealing with his own insecurities fails to recognize Harriet’s love. As they are forced to go one last trip together with friends, 6 months after their breakup, Harriet & Wyn deal with all unresolved issues & force open past traumas.
I think the author did her best to explore a lot of themes in this book through the protagonists & its various side characters. But for some reason, it felt flat. While reading the book in its entirety it seemed as though all the underlying stories, incidents, characters travelled across the book to make their way to just the one theme – that is lack of self-worth.
There was an attempt made to provide depth to characters, but for the life of me, after chapter 1, I had a tough time visualizing them – they all looked & sounded the same in my head, which was a huge disappointment. It definitely wasn’t a literary fiction, but I think it could’ve been a better romance novel.
It’s a really harsh review, but I did enjoy reading some of her previous books, so there’s hope yet.
Harriet & Wyn meet during one of Harriet’s annual trips with her 2 best friends & she is instantly taken by Wyn. As their relationship develops, so do their insecurities. Carrying past trauma and emotional baggage, Harriet & Wyn’s relationship is riddled with communication gaps & insecurities.
Harriet is the younger sister of a rebellious elder sibling so all her life she has strived to maintain balance at home, not make any waves, bring home the perfect grades. Feeling unloved & being valued only for her obedience, Harriet fails to recognize her own passion and potential, leading her to pick a profession that makes her unhappy & unfulfilled. Even though she tries to be the perfect girlfriend to Wyn, she can feel him slipping away & rather than fight for this love they share, Harriet lets Wyn go.
Wyn, dealing with his own insecurities fails to recognize Harriet’s love. As they are forced to go one last trip together with friends, 6 months after their breakup, Harriet & Wyn deal with all unresolved issues & force open past traumas.
I think the author did her best to explore a lot of themes in this book through the protagonists & its various side characters. But for some reason, it felt flat. While reading the book in its entirety it seemed as though all the underlying stories, incidents, characters travelled across the book to make their way to just the one theme – that is lack of self-worth.
There was an attempt made to provide depth to characters, but for the life of me, after chapter 1, I had a tough time visualizing them – they all looked & sounded the same in my head, which was a huge disappointment. It definitely wasn’t a literary fiction, but I think it could’ve been a better romance novel.
It’s a really harsh review, but I did enjoy reading some of her previous books, so there’s hope yet.
evaku's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
the reality of living & growing.
really enjoyed the relationships in this one, which is why i wish we would’ve gotten more of Harriet and her family and less of Harriet and Wyn (sorry!) deserved a proper ending.
wyn, wyn, wyn.
really enjoyed the relationships in this one, which is why i wish we would’ve gotten more of Harriet and her family and less of Harriet and Wyn (sorry!) deserved a proper ending.
wyn, wyn, wyn.