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r_oy_s's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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? No
5.0
Somehow I had a hunch in the beginning that this book was meant to be savored, not rushed through to get to the end. And boy I wasn't wrong.
January Andrews, a popular romance writer moves into a lake house for the summer to spend her days by the water clearing her writer's block so that she can write her next bestseller and meanwhile comes face to face with some family secrets that upended her life. Coincidentally, she comes across Augustus Everett, a famous literary fiction writer as her neighbour who also happened to be her college nemesis. Lo and behold, Gus is also going through a tough writing process. So, together they strike a deal to get out of this rut by switching out their preferred writing genre with each other and help one another to understand the process of writing their newly assigned genre fiction. The only condition is that : they must not fall in love with each other. Righttt.
This was my first time reading an Emily Henry book therefore I wasn't sure what to expect. What drew me in was the promise of good old trope enemies-to-lovers romance. But, it was more than that. There was ample of witty, flirty and humourous banter between Gus and January that sure had me laughing but in between there were also family dramas, insecurities, betrayal, heartbreak, lust, angst, unconditional parental love, battle with terminal illness, abusive relationship, perseverance, friendship that withstand every ups and downs of life, grief of losing a loved one, joy, new found hope, second chance at love, trust, happiness and life - an amalgamation of contrasting experiences of human life skillfully captured by the author between the pages. I could relate with January on a personal level regarding her never ending grief of paternal loss. That's why when she started reading those letters from her father my heart felt like it was breaking into tiny little pieces. It was somewhat a cathartic experience nevertheless.
While January might be sometimes a little awkward, blunt who wears her heart on her sleeves, oftentimes her spurts of contemplation and maturity took me by surprise. Whereas Gus was the broody, mysterious one who prefers to keep his emotions in check and his considerateness proved that he's more than meets the eye. Although their perception of life, values, beliefs might not be the same but somehow they click together perfectly. Both of their journeys of self-discovery intertwined with the process from their disliking for one another to companionship and ultimately towards intimacy was beautifully woven. Even though the entire book is written from January's POV the few inclusion of Gus's POV made it worthwhile. The crackling tension between these two was so palpable that I was about to lose my goddamn mind. Every word coming out of Gus' mouth had me sighing, giggling, blushing and swooning! He's the true gem.
The title mi ht seem to be a deceiving one because it's not your typical fun, light beach read rather it consists of more substance and emotional depth than it suggests. It's another evidence of the author's incisive humour which was present throughout the book and her attempt to make a clever jab at the common perception of women's literary fiction. Even though the ending was wholesome, I was hoping to get more of January and Gus as a couple living together but I guess the author was mindful to pay attention to their need for happy-for-now. Regardless, the rollercoaster ride of emotions, infused with a healthy dose of sarcasm and love written with perfect pace made the journey of Gus and January and unforgettable read and they will always have a piece of my heart.
January Andrews, a popular romance writer moves into a lake house for the summer to spend her days by the water clearing her writer's block so that she can write her next bestseller and meanwhile comes face to face with some family secrets that upended her life. Coincidentally, she comes across Augustus Everett, a famous literary fiction writer as her neighbour who also happened to be her college nemesis. Lo and behold, Gus is also going through a tough writing process. So, together they strike a deal to get out of this rut by switching out their preferred writing genre with each other and help one another to understand the process of writing their newly assigned genre fiction. The only condition is that : they must not fall in love with each other. Righttt.
This was my first time reading an Emily Henry book therefore I wasn't sure what to expect. What drew me in was the promise of good old trope enemies-to-lovers romance. But, it was more than that. There was ample of witty, flirty and humourous banter between Gus and January that sure had me laughing but in between there were also family dramas, insecurities, betrayal, heartbreak, lust, angst, unconditional parental love, battle with terminal illness, abusive relationship, perseverance, friendship that withstand every ups and downs of life, grief of losing a loved one, joy, new found hope, second chance at love, trust, happiness and life - an amalgamation of contrasting experiences of human life skillfully captured by the author between the pages. I could relate with January on a personal level regarding her never ending grief of paternal loss. That's why when she started reading those letters from her father my heart felt like it was breaking into tiny little pieces. It was somewhat a cathartic experience nevertheless.
While January might be sometimes a little awkward, blunt who wears her heart on her sleeves, oftentimes her spurts of contemplation and maturity took me by surprise. Whereas Gus was the broody, mysterious one who prefers to keep his emotions in check and his considerateness proved that he's more than meets the eye. Although their perception of life, values, beliefs might not be the same but somehow they click together perfectly. Both of their journeys of self-discovery intertwined with the process from their disliking for one another to companionship and ultimately towards intimacy was beautifully woven. Even though the entire book is written from January's POV the few inclusion of Gus's POV made it worthwhile. The crackling tension between these two was so palpable that I was about to lose my goddamn mind. Every word coming out of Gus' mouth had me sighing, giggling, blushing and swooning! He's the true gem.
The title mi ht seem to be a deceiving one because it's not your typical fun, light beach read rather it consists of more substance and emotional depth than it suggests. It's another evidence of the author's incisive humour which was present throughout the book and her attempt to make a clever jab at the common perception of women's literary fiction. Even though the ending was wholesome, I was hoping to get more of January and Gus as a couple living together but I guess the author was mindful to pay attention to their need for happy-for-now. Regardless, the rollercoaster ride of emotions, infused with a healthy dose of sarcasm and love written with perfect pace made the journey of Gus and January and unforgettable read and they will always have a piece of my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
pgmoon'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
4.0
I’m not typically one for contemporary romance, but many people had suggested to me to read Emily Henry, as her character writing was typically well done. After finishing this book, I found myself really enjoying it.
I think both January and Gus seem like very interesting protagonists, and their development together was very engaging and emotional. Often romance books banter makes me cringe, but I really liked their dynamic, it felt very Luke and Lorelai (any GG fans reading this?). Additionally, I liked the side characters, and would have liked to see more of Shadi and even Naomi (for the drama I guess!)
I also loved January’s struggle with the reality of her parents’ relationship. You don’t necessarily have to agree with what happens, and I liked that Sonya and January didn’t have a big reunion or even forgiveness. It felt very realistic to me.
Emily Henry is a very self aware writer, and although the book has a couple of those cliches, the story didn’t suffer in my opinion. I felt anxiety and trauma dealt with fairly well.
This is my first Emily Henry book, and I would totally be open to reading more!
I think both January and Gus seem like very interesting protagonists, and their development together was very engaging and emotional. Often romance books banter makes me cringe, but I really liked their dynamic, it felt very Luke and Lorelai (any GG fans reading this?). Additionally, I liked the side characters, and would have liked to see more of Shadi and even Naomi (for the drama I guess!)
I also loved January’s struggle with the reality of her parents’ relationship. You don’t necessarily have to agree with what happens, and I liked that Sonya and January didn’t have a big reunion or even forgiveness. It felt very realistic to me.
Emily Henry is a very self aware writer, and although the book has a couple of those cliches, the story didn’t suffer in my opinion. I felt anxiety and trauma dealt with fairly well.
This is my first Emily Henry book, and I would totally be open to reading more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Vomit
jkribbit's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing
Moderate: Child abuse, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcoholism
daenerystargaryen'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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Infidelity, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Vomit, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, and Cancer
Minor: Car accident and Mental illness
cherryfreckle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Cursing, Cancer, Death, Sexual content, Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Torture, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury
jessversteeg's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
2.75
I really enjoy EH’s writing. It’s not the typical all sweet rom-com at all. This one is a bit dark and twisty. I read it in one sitting. I enjoyed it and would have given it 3* , but I stumbled upon a 1* review and when I read it I was like “oh yeah… all those critiques are true.”
There was a lot of repetition about Gus’s eyes, his messy crumpled clothes etc. I wonder if she did a bunch of the descriptions to just add bulk to the book.
There was a lot of repetition about Gus’s eyes, his messy crumpled clothes etc. I wonder if she did a bunch of the descriptions to just add bulk to the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Child death, Child abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Violence, and Domestic abuse
mirandalikesbooks's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Emily Henry always makes great things happen. I knew this would be good before I even opened it. I think this book is a relatable exploration of living and falling in love even through grief and brokenness.
I will say some of the true romance of this novel felt a little over the top for me to the point that I didn't resonate with this one nearly as much as the last couple Henry books I read. Still good and worth reading though!
I will say some of the true romance of this novel felt a little over the top for me to the point that I didn't resonate with this one nearly as much as the last couple Henry books I read. Still good and worth reading though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
scifi_rat's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual content, Infidelity, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Vomit
Minor: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
rljacobson's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
While I read this in the middle of winter it made me feel like I was sitting on the shores of Lake Michigan, falling in love. Having a complicated relationship with my parents I really felt for January and the complex emotions she felt. Emily Henry just does it for my every time.
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse
kat_andherbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
.25 for the miscommunication and another .25 for not being able to name either of their private parts. the synonyms kinda bothered me.
but, overall, the premise was very well executed, as promised. i did have high hopes going into this and it did not disappoint. i bawled my eyes out towards the end. I loved, i haven’t read a romance book in a while and this was perfect.
but, overall, the premise was very well executed, as promised. i did have high hopes going into this and it did not disappoint. i bawled my eyes out towards the end. I loved, i haven’t read a romance book in a while and this was perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Cancer, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Child abuse, Infidelity, and Domestic abuse