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dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
About half of this is devoted to the memories of Margaret, an elderly hermit and former paparazzi headliner from a line of uber rich, messy people. Alice and Hayden are journalists who Margaret sets up as potential memoir writers for her story, competing for the chance to author the book. Of course, they fall in love (the other 50% of the story). I thought this was fine, but there were some side character dropped plots and pacing issues that could’ve made it all hang together a little better. It could’ve also used a little more showing and a little less telling, especially in Hayden’s part of the story. There’s a lot of random (past) trauma. Overall, not my favorite or least favorite Emily Henry book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Pregnancy
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Car accident, Pregnancy, Abandonment
Minor: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Alice and Hayden are rival authors competing for a job in a small coastal town in Georgia. He is the grumpy to her sunshine and she is the opposite that he is attracted to. As they try to win this dream job and figure out the true story to report on, they grow closer. I really enjoyed this book, all of the characters have so much depth and backstory. I also loved how the author was able to describe the setting and that sticky heat that comes with summers in the south.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment
Minor: Dementia
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Emily Henry's newest novel is here! And I absolutely fell in love with it! I will say this one was different than most of her other works but I think that is what made this book so nice and refreshing.
The story revolves around two writers who show up at the same place around the same time to conduct an interview. This client wants to write a book, a true story of her life in all the details for the world to finally read. The catch here is the client wants to conduct both interviews and at the end pick one person to write her book and tell her story.
The characters were very interesting, the two writers were polar opposites when compared to personality. Alice is the picture of sunshine, hopeful and full of determination to become a great writer. Hayden is more down to earth and logical on how he approaches his writing and picking clients for books. They are brought together to see who gets the honor of getting to write the unknown story of the just as equally unknown former socialite Margaret. They were a great foil for one another with Alice's positivity contrasting beautifully with Hayden's more cynical outlook on life. It was nice to see them bounce off of each other and slowly start to fall in love with each other. The other main character was Margaret was a woman of secrets and it was exciting to see her story unfold during each chapter!
The writing was different from her usual as this book was a more literary style rather than just a straight romance like she has written before. It was really nice to read something different from her, I feel like she would be great if she chose to write more books like this in a similar style.
Overall I really did enjoy this book and it was a fresh surprise from Emily Henry, it had really solid emotion and relatable characters to make this one of my new favorites of her series of novels!
The story revolves around two writers who show up at the same place around the same time to conduct an interview. This client wants to write a book, a true story of her life in all the details for the world to finally read. The catch here is the client wants to conduct both interviews and at the end pick one person to write her book and tell her story.
The characters were very interesting, the two writers were polar opposites when compared to personality. Alice is the picture of sunshine, hopeful and full of determination to become a great writer. Hayden is more down to earth and logical on how he approaches his writing and picking clients for books. They are brought together to see who gets the honor of getting to write the unknown story of the just as equally unknown former socialite Margaret. They were a great foil for one another with Alice's positivity contrasting beautifully with Hayden's more cynical outlook on life. It was nice to see them bounce off of each other and slowly start to fall in love with each other. The other main character was Margaret was a woman of secrets and it was exciting to see her story unfold during each chapter!
The writing was different from her usual as this book was a more literary style rather than just a straight romance like she has written before. It was really nice to read something different from her, I feel like she would be great if she chose to write more books like this in a similar style.
Overall I really did enjoy this book and it was a fresh surprise from Emily Henry, it had really solid emotion and relatable characters to make this one of my new favorites of her series of novels!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Pregnancy
Minor: Mental illness, Terminal illness
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I already want to read it again. I don't know how Emily Henry does it but het writing gets better and better everytime.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Car accident, Death of parent
medium-paced
yknow what idk where all the slander is coming from for this book i thought it was fun and i like the interview style and jumping between margarets story and theirs (a hayden pov couldve gone crazy i think) it was by no means a slow burn but i thought it was fun anyway
THE ENDING???????? I KNEW SMN WAS BREWING HERE IN THAT LAST 10% I COULD SMELL IT IN THE AIR AND I WAS RIGHT
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Terminal illness
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Pregnancy, Abandonment
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Emily Henry just makes you feel all the feels… 🥺
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Car accident
Minor: Death, Terminal illness, Dementia, Death of parent, Pregnancy
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my second Emily Henry book. The last one I read (Beach Read.. I think?) I thought was fine. I remember parts of it, but I didn't love it the way so many people seem to. I was excited about the premise for this one, and even when early reviews started coming in and people who usually love her work didn't like this one, I continued to be optimistic because I thought maybe what didn't work for them would make it work for me. I really like the story and the characters. I like Hayden and Alice as characters, and I liked their romantic dynamic as well. I liked the mystery in the plot, and I love the idea of exploring the past of someone in tandem with other character's present. What really fell flat for me was the pacing and the ending. I think the pacing of the plot points needed more work. Most of the book had a slow burn, but then when a specific mysterious element was added, it felt like it was rushed to be explained, which killed some of the buildup. Along with that, while I could have accepted the ending (although that itself also felt a tad rushed) the epilogue is what really through me off. We jump around in the future, with so much changing for these characters so quickly, but because it's the ending and we're jumping through time, it didn't feel like we really got to feel these changes happening for them.
I liked this more than I liked the other Emily Henry I read, and I would pick her work up again if a book sticks out to me, but I don't feel a strong feeling about needing to pick up another of her work.
*Edit: Apparently I gave Beach Read 4 stars ... that is wild to me. I do not think it would be a 4 star for me now, and at this point in time I do think this is a better book, but it's also a lower rated book compared to books I really enjoy.
I liked this more than I liked the other Emily Henry I read, and I would pick her work up again if a book sticks out to me, but I don't feel a strong feeling about needing to pick up another of her work.
*Edit: Apparently I gave Beach Read 4 stars ... that is wild to me. I do not think it would be a 4 star for me now, and at this point in time I do think this is a better book, but it's also a lower rated book compared to books I really enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Dementia
Minor: Terminal illness