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mariposa517's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Medical content, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Excrement, and Vomit
anastashamarie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
5.0
This story and these characters stabbed me repeatedly in my type-A, big-sister heart until I was nothing but a sobbing puddle on the floor.
I loved this. I loved the banter and push-and-pull between the romantic leads. I loved the bond between the sisters. I loved the subversion of tropes. I loved the lack of a contrived Act IV miscommunication that you knew would blow over anyway. I loved how real and raw and genuinely funny this was beginning to end. The story is woven so gently at first that I didn't realize my heart was being cut out until it was too late and by then I wanted to embrace it all: the vulnerability, the understanding, the amount of emotional work I had poured in just to have it handed right back, how it feels to have a character who feels like me be seen.
I signed up for a rom-com, but got a therapy session wrapped up in pretty gingham bow (probably like a wreath on the door of Goode Books, if we're being honest). I'm not sure how I'll recover, but I also know that the way out is through.
Idk how I'm going to get over this one. A+++ for sure.
I loved this. I loved the banter and push-and-pull between the romantic leads. I loved the bond between the sisters. I loved the subversion of tropes. I loved the lack of a contrived Act IV miscommunication that you knew would blow over anyway. I loved how real and raw and genuinely funny this was beginning to end. The story is woven so gently at first that I didn't realize my heart was being cut out until it was too late and by then I wanted to embrace it all: the vulnerability, the understanding, the amount of emotional work I had poured in just to have it handed right back, how it feels to have a character who feels like me be seen.
I signed up for a rom-com, but got a therapy session wrapped up in pretty gingham bow (probably like a wreath on the door of Goode Books, if we're being honest). I'm not sure how I'll recover, but I also know that the way out is through.
Idk how I'm going to get over this one. A+++ for sure.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Vomit, and Medical content
mehezz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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
Content Warnings
Minor: Vomit
bookishkale's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Listen, Emily Henry knows the way to my heart. I don't know whether or not it's because she's also a Great Lakes State girlie or what, but every time she writes a book, it's just a little piece of what I need.
The story is really about two sisters 'growing' apart by continuing to live life, and two people who feel out of place in the rest of the world finding peace in each other. It's something that was happening to me, in a a similar way. Nora and Libby have such a realistic relationship, I could see my sister and I having the same hard conversations that were necessary. I think where the character development really shined was in their relationship. While I loved Nora and Charlie's relationship, and their romance moments were steamy and heart-wrenching, the reason I love this book so much is for Nora and Libby. Libby begging Nora to do all the things that she can't, setting up bad blind dates, causing mayhem for Nora and the rest of Sunshine Falls made me happy.
Speaking of Nora and Charlie, I was hoping for more of the enemies to lovers trope. I feel like that is how the book was marketed as, but it wasn't really a hard hit. That to say, I still really loved it. I loved their little flirty moments, and their hard hitting moments. So much of what I love about their relationship are spoilers, and I want to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, but they are one of my favorite book couples!!
I love how Henry makes the towns that her characters visit so vibrant, but not over the top. It makes it believable without making it too apparent that is this is a place that is supposed to exist. I want to visit Sunshine Falls, even it is as lackluster as Nora sees it as in the very beginning! I want to visit the bookstore in town, grab a little drink and smell the musty books.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a romance read that has a bit more depth, but also want to be wrapped up in a big blanket of love.
The story is really about two sisters 'growing' apart by continuing to live life, and two people who feel out of place in the rest of the world finding peace in each other. It's something that was happening to me, in a a similar way. Nora and Libby have such a realistic relationship, I could see my sister and I having the same hard conversations that were necessary. I think where the character development really shined was in their relationship. While I loved Nora and Charlie's relationship, and their romance moments were steamy and heart-wrenching, the reason I love this book so much is for Nora and Libby. Libby begging Nora to do all the things that she can't, setting up bad blind dates, causing mayhem for Nora and the rest of Sunshine Falls made me happy.
Speaking of Nora and Charlie, I was hoping for more of the enemies to lovers trope. I feel like that is how the book was marketed as, but it wasn't really a hard hit. That to say, I still really loved it. I loved their little flirty moments, and their hard hitting moments. So much of what I love about their relationship are spoilers, and I want to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, but they are one of my favorite book couples!!
I love how Henry makes the towns that her characters visit so vibrant, but not over the top. It makes it believable without making it too apparent that is this is a place that is supposed to exist. I want to visit Sunshine Falls, even it is as lackluster as Nora sees it as in the very beginning! I want to visit the bookstore in town, grab a little drink and smell the musty books.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a romance read that has a bit more depth, but also want to be wrapped up in a big blanket of love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual content, Vomit, and Death of parent
kaziaroo's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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
3.0
I think this book suffers from its own marketing. The blurb calls Charlie Nora's "work nemesis" but in reality their "rivalry" consisted of him saying he didn't like her client's book which later did well, and her muttering "I told you so" at his office door for three years.
The interesting part of the book was how the author took on the admirable task of exposing the misogyny inherent in the "city-slick ex-girlfriend" trope in small-town romance stories and exploring that character trope in its fullness. Unfortunately, the actual romance in Book Lovers was dull in its inevitability. Despite their so-called rivalry, Charlie and Nora get on like a house on fire every time they talk (even at that disastrous first lunch) and there was no "will they–won't they" so much as "when will they" the whole way through. I'm not even sure why Nora's colleagues even call her "the Shark" – she seems lovely to everyone (apart from Charlie) the whole way through, which kind of breaks that trope apart.
The last hundred pages were much more interesting as the real meat of the characters' troubles came to light, and we finally escaped the endless banter and descriptions of Nora's body reacting every time Charlie opens his mouth to speak. This book isn't really a romance; the story's main focus is Nora's relationship with her sister (whom I sadly found very annoying as a character, so it was hard to care about this relationship) and Nora's grief for her mother. Overall, it was an easy and relaxing read, and if you have the patience to get through the first half the second half is quite good.
If you can understand the US-centric culture references used to describe everything and want to read about two according-to-the-cover rivals sharing banter while the author bludgeons you with the sexual tension in case you missed it, this might be the book for you. Just, don't go in expecting a rivals-to-lovers romance and be prepared for family drama and grief.
The interesting part of the book was how the author took on the admirable task of exposing the misogyny inherent in the "city-slick ex-girlfriend" trope in small-town romance stories and exploring that character trope in its fullness. Unfortunately, the actual romance in Book Lovers was dull in its inevitability. Despite their so-called rivalry, Charlie and Nora get on like a house on fire every time they talk (even at that disastrous first lunch) and there was no "will they–won't they" so much as "when will they" the whole way through. I'm not even sure why Nora's colleagues even call her "the Shark" – she seems lovely to everyone (apart from Charlie) the whole way through, which kind of breaks that trope apart.
The last hundred pages were much more interesting as the real meat of the characters' troubles came to light, and we finally escaped the endless banter and descriptions of Nora's body reacting every time Charlie opens his mouth to speak. This book isn't really a romance; the story's main focus is Nora's relationship with her sister (whom I sadly found very annoying as a character, so it was hard to care about this relationship) and Nora's grief for her mother. Overall, it was an easy and relaxing read, and if you have the patience to get through the first half the second half is quite good.
If you can understand the US-centric culture references used to describe everything and want to read about two according-to-the-cover rivals sharing banter while the author bludgeons you with the sexual tension in case you missed it, this might be the book for you. Just, don't go in expecting a rivals-to-lovers romance and be prepared for family drama and grief.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Miscarriage, and Vomit
alina5556's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Bullying and Abandonment
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Medical content
lecta's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit
lily_kruse's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Cursing and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
This book had me laughing right out of the gate. Emily Henry is a talented author who makes me smile and cry while falling in love with her characters. I adored the back and forth banter between the protagonist and her nemesis. I was also drawn to the focus on the big sister = caretaker. It was a witty and lovable book from start to finish.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
bethanycrowepowell's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit