Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Car accident, Pregnancy
Here’s the deal. I loved this book, but, and it’s a big one, I kind of had to tell myself that I was not reading an Emily Henry title. Why? The banter was just not bantering right away. I didn’t feel the chemistry right away. The story within the story was so different from her other books right away. However, when I detached myself a bit from my expectations based on past experience, I was able to dive in and appreciate it.
I actually found myself more invested in the story of Margaret Ives and her family than in Alice and Hayden. I liked the bit of mystery and intrigue surrounding Margaret’s past, but the twists and turns didn’t take me by surprise.
As far as romance goes, Alice and Hayden develop a friendship and catch feelings over time, but the attraction is immediate. The book spans only a month or two, so it’s still pretty instantaneous. And again, the romance is there, but it almost feels like a subplot.
I think that the way this book was marketed as a rom-com and a mystery was poor. I don’t know what Reese’s book club should have said instead, but I think those labels will set the audience up with false expectations.
All of this makes it sound like I should be giving this a “meh,” mid-level, three-star review, but this one actually is in my top 3 of EmHen’s adult novels.
Emily Henry has a way of writing about grief and loss that connects for me. Alice’s relationship with her parents was complicated and beautiful. And there was a scene that just broke me; the words, “it’s not too late” had me sobbing thinking about my own life and family.
This one also sparked some creativity, bravery, and confidence in me with Hayden’s encouragement to Alice to write what needs to be written even if no one else reads it or likes it. The work is worth it on its own. A message I needed.
Overall, after I jumped my expectation-hurdles, I still laughed and cried and felt as involved as every other book by Emily Henry, if not more so.
I actually found myself more invested in the story of Margaret Ives and her family than in Alice and Hayden. I liked the bit of mystery and intrigue surrounding Margaret’s past, but the twists and turns didn’t take me by surprise.
As far as romance goes, Alice and Hayden develop a friendship and catch feelings over time, but the attraction is immediate. The book spans only a month or two, so it’s still pretty instantaneous. And again, the romance is there, but it almost feels like a subplot.
I think that the way this book was marketed as a rom-com and a mystery was poor. I don’t know what Reese’s book club should have said instead, but I think those labels will set the audience up with false expectations.
All of this makes it sound like I should be giving this a “meh,” mid-level, three-star review, but this one actually is in my top 3 of EmHen’s adult novels.
Emily Henry has a way of writing about grief and loss that connects for me. Alice’s relationship with her parents was complicated and beautiful. And there was a scene that just broke me; the words, “it’s not too late” had me sobbing thinking about my own life and family.
This one also sparked some creativity, bravery, and confidence in me with Hayden’s encouragement to Alice to write what needs to be written even if no one else reads it or likes it. The work is worth it on its own. A message I needed.
Overall, after I jumped my expectation-hurdles, I still laughed and cried and felt as involved as every other book by Emily Henry, if not more so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Grief, Death of parent
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
The concept was super intriguing but I felt I didn’t really like the characters as much as I wanted to. Felt too drawn out at parts but all in all not a bad book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Sexism, Car accident, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Came for a Romcom, Stayed for what is essentially a love letter to journalism.
Above and Beyond all, this is a story about love -in all it's forms- from familial, platonic, romantic to all the complexities and nuances that comes with loving.
Grief is a central theme, handled with the thoughtfulness that is associated with Emily Henry's writing; someone who has always captured at it's most raw tender form.
The Cast is delightful, you can't help but empathize and care for and with all the flawed humanity of the characters, no one is perfect and this book serves as a remind that it's ok not to be, not when the people who love you will do in spite of everything.
Don't get it twisted though, the romance is off the charts, Alice and Hayden may have invented a new level to being down bad for each other, the chemistry and tension is truly off the charts.
Alice Scott might be my new favorite emhen FMC, a juxtaposition of hopeful whimsiness that isn't born out of naivety but rather having seen the worst and still choosing love not despite bur rather because of it.
The main question that haunts this book is that about agency and heritage, how much of our identity and what we go through is defined or impacted by those who came before us; pondering the validity of the concept of free will.
If nothing else, trust that this is a book that will heal you, leaving you with teary eyed with a fluttery heart.
The Cast is delightful, you can't help but empathize and care for and with all the flawed humanity of the characters, no one is perfect and this book serves as a remind that it's ok not to be, not when the people who love you will do in spite of everything.
Don't get it twisted though, the romance is off the charts, Alice and Hayden may have invented a new level to being down bad for each other, the chemistry and tension is truly off the charts.
Alice Scott might be my new favorite emhen FMC, a juxtaposition of hopeful whimsiness that isn't born out of naivety but rather having seen the worst and still choosing love not despite bur rather because of it.
The main question that haunts this book is that about agency and heritage, how much of our identity and what we go through is defined or impacted by those who came before us; pondering the validity of the concept of free will.
If nothing else, trust that this is a book that will heal you, leaving you with teary eyed with a fluttery heart.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Pregnancy, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
hayden is half black in my head, fight with a wall
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident, Pregnancy
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
emotional
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Dementia, Car accident, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Murder
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Car accident
Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4 stars, 3 spice, mild spoilers- Alice and Hayden are competing to write Margaret Ives celebrity memoir. Hayden is the grumpy Pulitzer Prize winning author. Alice is the sunny unknown writer specializing in short celebrity pieces. Margaret was born into a famous family and disappeared 20 years ago. As each author interviews her, The lines between truth and lies along with love and regret become intertwined. What happens when secrets are set free? Who will be the collateral damage?
I don’t really understand the hate for this book. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it. It might have seemed slow if I was reading the physical copy. The main plot is told from Alice’s point of view except when Margaret is telling her story during Alice’s interviews. Throughout the book, one questions how reliable a narrator Margaret really is. The backstory about her family does kind of drag on and is kind of irrelevant, except to establish Margaret may be a liar. I did not catch the twist at the end even though the clues were set out in the interviews.
The romance between Alice and Hayden is a bit Instalove, particularly on Alice’s side, but they don’t necessarily fall into bed instantly. The chemistry builds as they keep running into one another. I did ultimately like them as a pair and was satisfied with the final resolution. There is also a women’s fiction element as we see Alice’s strained relationship with her mother.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. If you like your romance with a bit of spice and a lot of plot that makes you think, this would be a good fit. Based on the reviews, I would recommend the audio version is there is a concern about the plot being slow or boring.
I don’t really understand the hate for this book. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it. It might have seemed slow if I was reading the physical copy. The main plot is told from Alice’s point of view except when Margaret is telling her story during Alice’s interviews. Throughout the book, one questions how reliable a narrator Margaret really is. The backstory about her family does kind of drag on and is kind of irrelevant, except to establish Margaret may be a liar. I did not catch the twist at the end even though the clues were set out in the interviews.
The romance between Alice and Hayden is a bit Instalove, particularly on Alice’s side, but they don’t necessarily fall into bed instantly. The chemistry builds as they keep running into one another. I did ultimately like them as a pair and was satisfied with the final resolution. There is also a women’s fiction element as we see Alice’s strained relationship with her mother.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. If you like your romance with a bit of spice and a lot of plot that makes you think, this would be a good fit. Based on the reviews, I would recommend the audio version is there is a concern about the plot being slow or boring.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death, Death of parent