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emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this book is just very mid. i didn’t really care too much about the actual romance because they barely had any chemistry. essentially, they were more interesting as individuals than as a couple. i hoped they’d have a bit more of that rivals to lovers vibe but it cut the ‘rivals’ part pretty short. i liked some of their banter but it often turned too cringy for my taste. i also liked that it explored some darker themes which i didn’t expect from this book. overall it was cute but for a romance book the romance was simply a bit too lackluster.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
No
It may be that I relate to Gus, it may be that I relate to January, but I absolutely loved this book.
I have cried in two books in my life (now three after this one), but this book hit close to home. It was a beautiful love story that went through ups and downs; they showed what it was like to learn to love and trust another person as well as yourself.
***semi-spoiler***
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I have a complicated relationship with my dad and the way January describes her view of her dad and how it changes throughout the novel is everything that I have felt at one time or another. This was such a healing book to have at this point in my life. Thank you, Emily Henry.
p.s. I read the UK ending first and then the US ending. Personally, I like the UK ending, although both of them have callbacks to their relationship seen throughout the book.
I have cried in two books in my life (now three after this one), but this book hit close to home. It was a beautiful love story that went through ups and downs; they showed what it was like to learn to love and trust another person as well as yourself.
***semi-spoiler***
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I have a complicated relationship with my dad and the way January describes her view of her dad and how it changes throughout the novel is everything that I have felt at one time or another. This was such a healing book to have at this point in my life. Thank you, Emily Henry.
p.s. I read the UK ending first and then the US ending. Personally, I like the UK ending, although both of them have callbacks to their relationship seen throughout the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment
The prose was good, and the story was addictive, especially in the beginning. The middle dragged a bit, and because of that the ending felt rushed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Domestic abuse
emotional
funny
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
A cynical romance author who no longer believes in love & a brooding literary writer stuck in a creative rut find themselves neighbors for the summer—both broke, blocked, and battling their own disillusionments. Augustus Everett, known for crafting dark, tragic fiction, and January Andrews, a bestselling romance writer with a flair for happy endings, couldn't be more different—until a spontaneous challenge flips their worlds. For 3 months, he’ll write something hopeful, and she’ll attempt a weighty literary novel. She drags him on whimsical, rom-com-worthy adventures, while he pulls her into interviews with death cult survivors. The goal? Finish their books and prove that opposites don’t attract. Falling in love? Definitely not part of the deal.
Did a combo of physical, audio & digital - I finished last night and wanted to sleep on my thoughts before reviewing... Woke up still feeling it was a 5-star read (surprise, surprise). Funny Story & Book Lovers are still tied for 1st place in my ranking of Emily Henry books, with this one next, and then Happy Place. Up next - People We Meet on Vacation, then Great Big Beautiful Life! I got a fair share of chuckles in with Beach Read, and I definitely got in my feels when it came to January's complicated relationship with her father (IYKYK). I'm super close with my dad, so I couldn't help but put myself in our FMC's shoes - as awful as that may sound - but I think that's why this book hit harder than Happy Place. Again, Emily Henry is SO GOOD at writing relatable characters, ones you just fall in love with - even if you promise not to.
Did a combo of physical, audio & digital - I finished last night and wanted to sleep on my thoughts before reviewing... Woke up still feeling it was a 5-star read (surprise, surprise). Funny Story & Book Lovers are still tied for 1st place in my ranking of Emily Henry books, with this one next, and then Happy Place. Up next - People We Meet on Vacation, then Great Big Beautiful Life! I got a fair share of chuckles in with Beach Read, and I definitely got in my feels when it came to January's complicated relationship with her father (IYKYK). I'm super close with my dad, so I couldn't help but put myself in our FMC's shoes - as awful as that may sound - but I think that's why this book hit harder than Happy Place. Again, Emily Henry is SO GOOD at writing relatable characters, ones you just fall in love with - even if you promise not to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Great story. Loved the sort of twist on the “grumpy + sunshine” trope, and how we all can have a mix of both.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Sexual content
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Alcohol
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the book until the ending. I felt like the ending was kind of a bummer. I also just couldn’t get past the dad cheating on his dying wife. I also really felt like the characters were so broken and messed up that they weren’t going to last for very long past getting together.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Vomit, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
emotional
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:
Yes
👩🏻😢💀😡🧔🏻♂️👩🏻🤝📅📕👩❤️💋👨☔️💃🕺🫵😭🔚
Did I laugh? Yes
Did I cry? Yes
Will I read it again? Yes
Did I laugh? Yes
Did I cry? Yes
Will I read it again? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Infidelity, Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Vomit, Grief
Minor: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While the writing is classic Emily Henry and I resonated with the writer's block, I felt like there was actually too much backstory/plot and not enough romance, which surprised me because Emily is usually SPOT on in her romances.
I felt like they were already super attracted to each other from the beginning and I didn't really get to see the romance build, and him being married prior just felt like an unnecessary plot point.
However, it was still enjoyable.
However, it was still enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness
slow-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
I adored this story about grief and learning to love again after heartbreak. I loved watching January and Gus's story start before it ever really started. Watching them basically find their way back to each other was so beautiful that it might not make you believe in HEA, but happy-for-nows can be just as good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Child death