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emotional
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
This book definitely has “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” vibes for me. Definitely not beat for beat but there are a lot of similarities. And because that is one of my favorite books of all time, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Death
Minor: Confinement, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Pregnancy, Abandonment
emotional
reflective
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
people didnt like this???? grow up! this was absolutely gorgeous, i knew from the start it was basically written for me because i love a rival romance plot and anything to do with music history in books is an immediate yes from me. this wasnt classic emily henry in terms of the romance as this was very plot heavy but i thought the plot was so interesting because you knew margaret was lying the whole time. i just love how emily henry writes and makes it feel like youre in the book with the characters feeling everything its so impactful and so special. an instant buy author for me every time
"when i let myself dream... or it all comes crashing down - it's alice, alice on my mind. alice all the time"
"when i let myself dream... or it all comes crashing down - it's alice, alice on my mind. alice all the time"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident
Moderate: Infertility, Dementia
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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: Confinement, Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Gaslighting, Abandonment
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't bring myself to give this book three stars because I love Emily Henry and this book got better as it went along, but unfortunately, this is definitely my least favorite book of hers by far. The subplot of America's sweetheart Margaret and her family's sordid history did not work for me at all - I saw someone describe it as discount Evelyn Hugo, which sadly feels right, and I just found the way the story unfolded to be so cliche and forced (words I truly never thought I'd use in connection with Emily). The "twist" almost made me mad because it felt just so fundamentally silly. Hayden and Alice's grumpy-meets-sunshine vibe was almost too on the nose, and Hayden seemed more like than a jerk than shy or cautious. The turn from Hayden and Alice being begrudging allies to being desperately in love didn't make a lot of sense, and I wasn't that invested in their story.
Of course, even when it's not on point and not up to her usual form, Emily's writing is still absolutely lovely, and she knows how to tell a story. I just didn't like this particular story unfortunately. Oh well. Given how many books Emily has put out in the last few years, she was bound to have a clunker at some point. I have zero doubt that her next book will be absolutely stunning :)
Of course, even when it's not on point and not up to her usual form, Emily's writing is still absolutely lovely, and she knows how to tell a story. I just didn't like this particular story unfortunately. Oh well. Given how many books Emily has put out in the last few years, she was bound to have a clunker at some point. I have zero doubt that her next book will be absolutely stunning :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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:
Complicated
Emily Henry is the queen of romcoms for a reason and she has absolutely done it again. This book was not like anything she's ever written before, but I personally loved the departure from her usual format. Despite it not being a "typical" romcom, it still had all the elements that make an Emily Henry book special - the complex relationships, raw human emotion, and the big beautiful feelings that she draws from her readers.
This story really sunk itself into my heart and didn't let go. I generally find her books fast, compelling, easy reads that I can binge quickly, but I truly would have finished this in one setting if I didn't need to also see to basic human functions like eating and sleeping. As soon as I put it down, I wanted to pick it back up again - I was absolutely gripped in a way that I typically am not with just a straight up romcom.
I honestly was so impressed with how Henry wove together the stories of our two characters in present day, Alice and Hayden, who are journalists competing to write the life story of Margaret, the now elderly heiress to a media fortune who is ready to tell her side of things - the fame, the fortune, and tragedy alike. This book really reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six (which I mean as a compliment) - this is most clearly felt in the way that there are interview segments with flashbacks and then moments in the present day coming together to form a coherent, sprawling tale of a full life.
I honestly think there are plenty of thriller writers who could take a lesson from Emily Henry in this book - the way she dropped clues and built suspense to the finale was really impressive and was part of what made it so compelling for me. There generally aren't any big reveals in a romcom, but this blending of genres worked well. Not everyone has the talent to pull this off, but Henry certainly does.
We do have plenty of those classic Sleepless in Seattle-like moments, though, so if you're a lover of the OG romcoms, there are still these themes and elements throughout. I love a competitors-turned-lovers, and I think no matter what part of the story you show up for, you'll be satisfied. In this novel, Henry gives her readers exactly the sort of tension needed to craft a complex story while keeping that secret sauce that makes a romance feel magical.
Bravo to the queen, long may she reign!
This story really sunk itself into my heart and didn't let go. I generally find her books fast, compelling, easy reads that I can binge quickly, but I truly would have finished this in one setting if I didn't need to also see to basic human functions like eating and sleeping. As soon as I put it down, I wanted to pick it back up again - I was absolutely gripped in a way that I typically am not with just a straight up romcom.
I honestly was so impressed with how Henry wove together the stories of our two characters in present day, Alice and Hayden, who are journalists competing to write the life story of Margaret, the now elderly heiress to a media fortune who is ready to tell her side of things - the fame, the fortune, and tragedy alike. This book really reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six (which I mean as a compliment) - this is most clearly felt in the way that there are interview segments with flashbacks and then moments in the present day coming together to form a coherent, sprawling tale of a full life.
I honestly think there are plenty of thriller writers who could take a lesson from Emily Henry in this book - the way she dropped clues and built suspense to the finale was really impressive and was part of what made it so compelling for me. There generally aren't any big reveals in a romcom, but this blending of genres worked well. Not everyone has the talent to pull this off, but Henry certainly does.
We do have plenty of those classic Sleepless in Seattle-like moments, though, so if you're a lover of the OG romcoms, there are still these themes and elements throughout. I love a competitors-turned-lovers, and I think no matter what part of the story you show up for, you'll be satisfied. In this novel, Henry gives her readers exactly the sort of tension needed to craft a complex story while keeping that secret sauce that makes a romance feel magical.
Bravo to the queen, long may she reign!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Trafficking
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
- the pacing all together felt off, their relationship was weird instalust/lonely and desperately needing a lay, quickly followed by instalove with very little actual character, relationship, or time development.
- the build up of "margaret's lying to us" was also paced poorly - too much time building it up for a rushed reveal that could have been done so much better.
also feel like everyone's brushing past hayden giving up the job too quickly - that was super insulting. i get that he wanted to avoid the situation with his ex but why did he think she'd be receptive to that when she literally spent the whole book explicitly telling him otherwise??
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage, Car accident
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
I think this is my favorite Emily Henry book to date! The story is so sweet and I love the dual timelines. It’s equal parts romance and historical fiction/mystery. It didn’t feel predictable or boring at all and I probably could’ve finished it in a sitting haha. Definitely want to reread this one again in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Car accident, Pregnancy
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Blood, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail
Normally I don’t like the pregnancy trope at the end of the book but I think it works here given the overall theme of the book.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Grief, Car accident
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Terminal illness, Dementia, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
no one talk to me for 3-5 work days I'm processing (also recovering from crying) (a lot)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Car accident, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Forced institutionalization