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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Definitely not just a “beach read”, but so much more. This book was touching, beautifully written. It took me a while to read the entire thing, but throughout the entire reading process I was obsessed with these characters. Each and every one of them was likable in my eyes. Weird as it may sound (no spoilers), I dream of finding what January and Gus have. I can actually see myself picking this one up again in a few years’ time. It was just so lovely, intense, interesting, even steamy, and just a wonderful read in general.
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
emotional
funny
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
hopeful
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Good summer read. Had lots of character growth and no third act breakup
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Depending on your perspective, this is either a book about writer’s block… or about romance. Maybe both.
“Falling’s the part that takes your breath away. It’s the part when you can’t believe the person standing in front of you both exists and happened to wander into your path. It’s supposed to make you feel lucky to be alive, exactly when and where you are.”
The setup is brilliant: two struggling writers with clashing genres (and personalities) forced into close proximity, each daring the other to swap styles. It’s enemies-to-lovers, sunshine-girl-meets-moody-guy, slow burn, with a dose of fated romance and forced proximity thrown in. So far, so good.
But it didn’t quite reach the starry heights of Book Lovers (for me). There’s an inconsistent tone that muddied the emotional impact. The darker elements—Gus’s fascination with cults, January’s grief and disillusionment—felt a little underbaked. And the miscommunication trope? Oof. We’ve seen it work well elsewhere, but here it felt unnecessarily drawn out and clunky.
🟡 Spoiler alert:The scene in the rain was my real sticking point. There’s a dramatic reveal, a meandering monologue, and then… nothing? It tries to say something profound about choosing love over comfort, but never quite lands it.
Still, there is chemistry. There’s warmth. And there’s some genuinely sharp banter that made me smile. I gave it an extra star for that alone.
A solid read, but not my favourite Henry. If you’re new to her books, I’d suggest starting elsewhere.
“Falling’s the part that takes your breath away. It’s the part when you can’t believe the person standing in front of you both exists and happened to wander into your path. It’s supposed to make you feel lucky to be alive, exactly when and where you are.”
The setup is brilliant: two struggling writers with clashing genres (and personalities) forced into close proximity, each daring the other to swap styles. It’s enemies-to-lovers, sunshine-girl-meets-moody-guy, slow burn, with a dose of fated romance and forced proximity thrown in. So far, so good.
But it didn’t quite reach the starry heights of Book Lovers (for me). There’s an inconsistent tone that muddied the emotional impact. The darker elements—Gus’s fascination with cults, January’s grief and disillusionment—felt a little underbaked. And the miscommunication trope? Oof. We’ve seen it work well elsewhere, but here it felt unnecessarily drawn out and clunky.
🟡 Spoiler alert:
Still, there is chemistry. There’s warmth. And there’s some genuinely sharp banter that made me smile. I gave it an extra star for that alone.
A solid read, but not my favourite Henry. If you’re new to her books, I’d suggest starting elsewhere.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes