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nineinchnails's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
i feel like this one missed that je ne sais quois from the last 2 emily henry books but i think the fact i've been reading a bunch of depressing books back to back may be responsible for that. i don't know if it's just placebo effect but i felt like the characters weren't quite as well developed as her previous mcs. i kept laughing out loud and blinking back tears (as expected) so i know i'm sure i'll love this even more on a reread! the 'beach read' easter eggs were so cute and i loved all the characters (again, as expected) even more than i was prepared for.
the pacing was really good here - i wasn't bored for even a second and ended up reading this is in one 4 hour sitting. it was pretty meta, which i'm not usually a fan of in romance since it ends up coming off juvenile, but it worked for this. the only gripes i have is it feeling a little corny at times (i did just finish 'young mungo' though) and the characters not seeming as fleshed out as her other mcs.
the pacing was really good here - i wasn't bored for even a second and ended up reading this is in one 4 hour sitting. it was pretty meta, which i'm not usually a fan of in romance since it ends up coming off juvenile, but it worked for this. the only gripes i have is it feeling a little corny at times (i did just finish 'young mungo' though) and the characters not seeming as fleshed out as her other mcs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Medical content
Minor: Death of parent and Body shaming
andie_1504's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Medical content, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Alcohol, Car accident, Vomit, Bullying, and Cursing
edietz22's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content
bek_p87's review
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
I fell in love with Nora and Charlie from the very beginning. This was everything I want from a romance - two people perfect for each other, who are realistic about their lives and their ambitions, and uncompromising when it comes to the big things, with insane chemistry built on similar interests and personalities. I love love loved this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Medical content
sestout's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Abandonment
strawb3rrysugar's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Although I've heard of Emily Henry all over the internet (BookTok, BookTube, etc etc), I borrowed this from the library because I had an upsetting day and needed something lighthearted to take my mind off my worries.
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I don't typically like books only described by loosely-strung tropes and insert-template-here characters. However, beneath a story described as an enemies-to-lovers romance about a cold-hearted literary agent is an earnest, humorous, and emotional story about how grief and fear shapes a person, and learning to accept change and challenges as they come.
The characters of the book were the highlight for me. They felt fleshed out, real, and I could resonate with their desires and understand their actions. I actually liked Charlie! Usually, "dark and brooding" translates into most books as "abusive, boring jerk with no personality," but Charlie is a genuinely solid character with wishes and conflicts of his own, and god I appreciated that. I'm also very biased towards emotional storylines about sisterhood, and Nora and Libby's arc throughout the book made me laugh and pulled a few heartstrings.
My only cons are as follows:
1) I do not understand the trope of signing someone up for a dating app and setting them up on a date without their prior knowledge. It will always be an ick of mine, as it just kind of seems irresponsible and rude. (I guess it's the modern equivalent of a blind date? Maybe.)
2), there's a subplot of Nora having to read one of her client's books that's basically based off her, and she describes it like her client has written Infinite Jest. I found those passages to be very uninteresting and bland, but they were thankfully brief.
And 2.5) because it wasn't that big of an issue, but seriously Nora? Getting hot and heavy with a coworker in an office? That felt like such a "right in my salad?" moment, but that's very much a nitpick.
Do I think Emily Henry is reinventing the wheel of romantic literature? Not really. Is it cheesy and kind of corny sometimes? Very much so. But it's well written, with characters I could root for, and it's not afraid to just be a romance novel. It goes by quickly for almost 400 pages. If you're a big fan of romance novels, this would be a nice addition.
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I don't typically like books only described by loosely-strung tropes and insert-template-here characters. However, beneath a story described as an enemies-to-lovers romance about a cold-hearted literary agent is an earnest, humorous, and emotional story about how grief and fear shapes a person, and learning to accept change and challenges as they come.
The characters of the book were the highlight for me. They felt fleshed out, real, and I could resonate with their desires and understand their actions. I actually liked Charlie! Usually, "dark and brooding" translates into most books as "abusive, boring jerk with no personality," but Charlie is a genuinely solid character with wishes and conflicts of his own, and god I appreciated that. I'm also very biased towards emotional storylines about sisterhood, and Nora and Libby's arc throughout the book made me laugh and pulled a few heartstrings.
My only cons are as follows:
1) I do not understand the trope of signing someone up for a dating app and setting them up on a date without their prior knowledge. It will always be an ick of mine, as it just kind of seems irresponsible and rude. (I guess it's the modern equivalent of a blind date? Maybe.)
2), there's a subplot of Nora having to read one of her client's books that's basically based off her, and she describes it like her client has written Infinite Jest. I found those passages to be very uninteresting and bland, but they were thankfully brief.
And 2.5) because it wasn't that big of an issue, but seriously Nora? Getting hot and heavy with a coworker in an office? That felt like such a "right in my salad?" moment, but that's very much a nitpick.
Do I think Emily Henry is reinventing the wheel of romantic literature? Not really. Is it cheesy and kind of corny sometimes? Very much so. But it's well written, with characters I could root for, and it's not afraid to just be a romance novel. It goes by quickly for almost 400 pages. If you're a big fan of romance novels, this would be a nice addition.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Medical content and Vomit
There's a brief scene where Nora throws up during a run after a night of drinking.transcendent's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.75
I am an Emily Henry lover first and a reader second โ๏ธ
no but fr following Nora and Libby to Sunshine Falls to sort out their own sibling relationship (amongst other things), coincidentally finding Nora's editorial rivalMr. Big Dick himself Charlie, and seeing the romance be the subplot of the whole story for a book this genre was so refreshing that I feel like it hit better the second time.
I do however wish the last chapter (not epilogue) was expanded on with one more inbetween chapter just for the sake of the pacing.
no but fr following Nora and Libby to Sunshine Falls to sort out their own sibling relationship (amongst other things), coincidentally finding Nora's editorial rival
I do however wish the last chapter (not epilogue) was expanded on with one more inbetween chapter just for the sake of the pacing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Medical trauma
rat_girly's review
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
4.5
๐๐๐ฉ๐ผโ๐ป๐จ๐ปโ๐ป๐ ๐ฒ๐โค๏ธ
Didnโt expect to like this book so much given its โHallmark Christmas movieโ type plot, but I loved the characters, their backstories, the familial and romantic love, and the ending
Didnโt expect to like this book so much given its โHallmark Christmas movieโ type plot, but I loved the characters, their backstories, the familial and romantic love, and the ending
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Grief
Minor: Vomit, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Bullying, and Drug use
craftysnailtail's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was my second attempt at a novel by Henry because Happy Place was not my cup of tea and I dnfed it.
I think maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace for this book. It screams summer romance novel, so maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I had read it at another time.
Instead, I was mostly annoyed by the characters and their inability to communicate until the very end. Henry's style of writing is flowery and often felt over the top for me- like a Hallmark movie. Almost nothing about the plot felt believable and everyone's emotions were dialed up to 11 even when it made no sense for things to be so dramatic. And I understand why so many people would love that! I guess I was hoping for something more realistic.
It felt like the book dragged out at a slow pace. They also did not fill the enemies to lovers trope, in my opinion. Nora had some relatable traits, but in general I could not connect with her. I liked how intense and a tad grumpy Charlie was, but that wasn't enough to hold my interest.
Overall, I might try another novel of hers next summer when I'm looking for easy, brain candy type books. It just wasn't what I was in the mood for, I suppose!
I think maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace for this book. It screams summer romance novel, so maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I had read it at another time.
Instead, I was mostly annoyed by the characters and their inability to communicate until the very end. Henry's style of writing is flowery and often felt over the top for me- like a Hallmark movie. Almost nothing about the plot felt believable and everyone's emotions were dialed up to 11 even when it made no sense for things to be so dramatic. And I understand why so many people would love that! I guess I was hoping for something more realistic.
It felt like the book dragged out at a slow pace. They also did not fill the enemies to lovers trope, in my opinion. Nora had some relatable traits, but in general I could not connect with her. I liked how intense and a tad grumpy Charlie was, but that wasn't enough to hold my interest.
Overall, I might try another novel of hers next summer when I'm looking for easy, brain candy type books. It just wasn't what I was in the mood for, I suppose!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, Vomit, and Medical content
lifeasmrssmith's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Medical content, and Death of parent