Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Classism
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident, Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Alcohol
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Chronic illness, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Car accident
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Dementia
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I feel like I just reread The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Chronic illness
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
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
This is absolutely not a thriller, despite what it’s being marketed as
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Classism
Minor: Classism
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
The Setup: Emily Henry diverges from her standard romantic comedy fare with a layered perspective set on atmospheric Little Crescent Island, Georgia. The novel alternates between present-day scenes, in which journalists Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson vie to write the biography of reclusive heiress Margaret Ives, and interwoven flashbacks that reveal Margaret's storied past. The dual timeline structure allows Henry to explore themes of truth, storytelling, and legacy.
Alice, the optimistic and friendly journalist, begins a bit of a competition with Hayden, a brooding and standoffish Pulitzer Prize winner, to see who can take the crown of authoring Margaret's biography for the world to see. We see the intricate portrayal of Maraget's fame and downfall, while investigating the blossoming relationship between Alice and Hayden. We soon see how everyone's worlds collide, while seeing some growth and development along the way.
What I Loved: I had an absolute blast with this book. Candidly, I've read and seen some significant criticism, especially from Emily Henry stans. Many noted how this was choppy, only had instalove, trying to do too much, etc. Therefore, I went into it with pretty low expectations. And you know what....I loved it. I think the critique is fair, and I see where people are coming from but somehow I still simply loved this. I would be remiss to not talk about my apprehension in the beginning, though. I was a little confused as to why Hayden was such a grump (I struggle with the grumpy-sunshine trope), but I do think once it hit the 25 percent mark, I was much more comfy and in this narrative. I truly loved the characters and their emotional depth - Alice was crafted with emotional richness; her optimism masked deep-seated insecurities, especially related to her family and her writing credentials. Hayden did initially appear cold but revealed layers of vulnerability. Their evolving dynamic, from rivalry to intimacy, was believable, rooted in professional respect and emotional resonance (and they behaved like early 30-year-olds, to me). I also enjoyed Margaret's character. She was complicated and mysterious, and honestly pretty unlikeable, but still interesting. Her backstory added historical context to the novel that I appreciated.
This novel also incorporated more than just a romance and some emotional weight into the narrative. Henry interrogated the nature of truth, questioned who gets to tell a person's story, and reminded readers that facts and perception often differ. Family legacy took center stage, with the Ives dynasty serving as a case study in generational influence and secret histories. I thought it was a well-done touch to the novel, and I don't think it took away from the romance.
Lastly, I can't complete a "What I Loved" section of Henry without talking about her prose. It continued to remain grounded, balancing a crisp dialogue with reflective passages. Henry is one of the best at romantic banter, and I stand by that statement with this novel, too. The connection and spark between the characters was palpable.
It's Not Perfect, and I had to deduct ~some~ star (half of one). Listen, every Emily Henry novel isn't without its little quirks. This novel worked for me. I do think that adding a layer of almost literary fiction was a risk for Henry. For me, it paid off, but I think others would disagree, and that's ok. Many have stated this is like a particular Taylor Jenkins Reid novel. While I most certainly understand that connection, I think Henry's was different enough to be original and still enjoyable. But here is where I agree with some critics - the secondary characters were most certainly overlooked, but this was because Henry prioritized the romance, the plot of the book, and the writing of a biography of a woman's life. Alice's friends were most certainly underdeveloped and perfunctory. I do think that the prioritization of the plot around the writing of the heiress meant that some character development didn't happen, but it was subtle. Lastly, this was a bit of instant lust. I understand, but I still felt their relationship (and I still loved it).
With all that said, I truly loved it. It made me cry! Emily Henry is one of my favorite authors, and I continue to be quite impressed with her and can't wait to see what's in store for the future. I think she should continue taking these sorts of risks.
**
Alice, the optimistic and friendly journalist, begins a bit of a competition with Hayden, a brooding and standoffish Pulitzer Prize winner, to see who can take the crown of authoring Margaret's biography for the world to see. We see the intricate portrayal of Maraget's fame and downfall, while investigating the blossoming relationship between Alice and Hayden. We soon see how everyone's worlds collide, while seeing some growth and development along the way.
What I Loved: I had an absolute blast with this book. Candidly, I've read and seen some significant criticism, especially from Emily Henry stans. Many noted how this was choppy, only had instalove, trying to do too much, etc. Therefore, I went into it with pretty low expectations. And you know what....I loved it. I think the critique is fair, and I see where people are coming from but somehow I still simply loved this. I would be remiss to not talk about my apprehension in the beginning, though. I was a little confused as to why Hayden was such a grump (I struggle with the grumpy-sunshine trope), but I do think once it hit the 25 percent mark, I was much more comfy and in this narrative. I truly loved the characters and their emotional depth - Alice was crafted with emotional richness; her optimism masked deep-seated insecurities, especially related to her family and her writing credentials. Hayden did initially appear cold but revealed layers of vulnerability. Their evolving dynamic, from rivalry to intimacy, was believable, rooted in professional respect and emotional resonance (and they behaved like early 30-year-olds, to me). I also enjoyed Margaret's character. She was complicated and mysterious, and honestly pretty unlikeable, but still interesting. Her backstory added historical context to the novel that I appreciated.
This novel also incorporated more than just a romance and some emotional weight into the narrative. Henry interrogated the nature of truth, questioned who gets to tell a person's story, and reminded readers that facts and perception often differ. Family legacy took center stage, with the Ives dynasty serving as a case study in generational influence and secret histories. I thought it was a well-done touch to the novel, and I don't think it took away from the romance.
Lastly, I can't complete a "What I Loved" section of Henry without talking about her prose. It continued to remain grounded, balancing a crisp dialogue with reflective passages. Henry is one of the best at romantic banter, and I stand by that statement with this novel, too. The connection and spark between the characters was palpable.
It's Not Perfect, and I had to deduct ~some~ star (half of one). Listen, every Emily Henry novel isn't without its little quirks. This novel worked for me. I do think that adding a layer of almost literary fiction was a risk for Henry. For me, it paid off, but I think others would disagree, and that's ok. Many have stated this is like a particular Taylor Jenkins Reid novel. While I most certainly understand that connection, I think Henry's was different enough to be original and still enjoyable. But here is where I agree with some critics - the secondary characters were most certainly overlooked, but this was because Henry prioritized the romance, the plot of the book, and the writing of a biography of a woman's life. Alice's friends were most certainly underdeveloped and perfunctory. I do think that the prioritization of the plot around the writing of the heiress meant that some character development didn't happen, but it was subtle. Lastly, this was a bit of instant lust. I understand, but I still felt their relationship (and I still loved it).
With all that said, I truly loved it. It made me cry! Emily Henry is one of my favorite authors, and I continue to be quite impressed with her and can't wait to see what's in store for the future. I think she should continue taking these sorts of risks.
**
And no matter how much they made, Lawrence's hunger never abated. Instead, it grew and grew. The more he had, the more he craved. The more he accumulated, the more there was to lose, and the terror of that never let up.
Gerald was raised to be a businessman, and was hardly eight years old when he first realized he'd been born in the red. In debt. At a loss. He came out with his father's face and an expectation he could never live up to, no matter how many tutors his parents locked him in a room with. He was supposed to do great things. That was the contract Lawrence thought he'd entered into with the universe, and thus every second Gerald didn't, he was failing.
"Life is so complicated. And I think it's human nature to try and untangle those complications. We want everything to make sense. And that's okay. It's a worthy pursuit. But back when my sister wasn't well, when every day felt uncertain..." I search for the words. His forehead creases, his tone so hopeful it nearly breaks my heart. "You understand how much each one was worth?" "I understood what really mattered," I offer. "I understood my priorities. I understood what, in this life, was nonnegotiable for me. A lot of people don't find that out until it's too late. They wait to say things, and they don't get the chance. So collecting other people's stories, learning from their mistakes, it is a gift too."
"I don't make anything of it," she murmurs. "I know exactly what she meant." She sets her mug down. "He was the love of her life, and he let the world make him too small for her. "The world Freddy Ives lived in was built around him. There wasn't room for her." I swallow a knot.
Maybe truth is less about a compromise of conflicting viewpoints and more about an integration of them. The thought discomfits me. I've always wanted to make my interview subjects feel seen and heard, but there's also been a comfort in believing I'm nothing more than a conduit, a funnel, for the truth to pour through, a sieve catching and dispelling any unnecessary bits. It changes things, to think that maybe everything is necessary. Maybe truth can't be whittled out of a pile of research but instead has to be built from all of it, no spare pieces left behind, absolutely nothing discarded.
"That we don't have to end up with regrets," he says. "That if we really care about something, we can decide to hold on to it." "I prefer that version of the world," I say, smiling up at him. His arms ring my waist, his nose scraping along mine. "You do?" I nod, the movement gliding our lips briefly across each other. "It's yours," he offers. I laugh. "Oh, I can have the world?" "Mine," he says, "Yeah. You can have mine."
It's a love story. Like everything I write, that's what it comes down to. That's what always matters most to me, about any interview subject: Whom do you love? What makes your heart beat? For whom would you unmake the world, and how would you build a new one?
And strangely, I find myself thinking about the meandering path of broken glass around Margaret's workshop. About the unicursal labyrinth. I find myself thinking that maybe every bit of heartbreak in life can be rearranged and used for something beautiful. That it doesn't really matter whether I chose this path or I was born onto it, so long as I stop and appreciate the path itself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Dementia, Abandonment
Minor: Chronic illness, Infertility, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Alcohol
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Death of parent