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emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Infidelity
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:
Yes
That’s what you do. For your readers. For me. You make beautiful things, because you love the world, and maybe the world doesn’t always look how it does in your books, but . . . I think putting them out there, that changes the world a little bit. And the world can’t afford to lose that.
I listened to this one as an audiobook, and honestly, its only downside as a bedtime story was that the banter constantly made me giggle. It is, apparently, hard to fall asleep while giggling. Who knew? Seriously, I'm now putting Emily Henry right up there with Talia Hibbert as one of my favorite banter-oriented romance writers. The witty dialogue is my favorite part of the book.
In terms of... let's call it emotional temperature I feel like the fun, heart-warming aspects of the book were well-balanced with the heavier, more dramatic ones: January's grief and complex emotions about her father, Gus's abandonment issues, all those research conversations with former cult members. In terms of plot structure, however, I think there were parts where the narrative meandered as it tried to encompass all the arcs and small plotlines. All the big stuff got properly developed and wrapped up, but there were definitely parts of the story that left me with a nagging "okay, but I still have questions about X / couldn't Y have been explored slightly more?" feeling.
Tbh I feel this story could have benefitted from being dual POV. Perhaps some parts of it could have been better delivered through Gus's part, and besides, I really wish I could get to know Gus better. I wanted to actually *see* his arc, his emotional struggles, the way he was caught between the pain of his divorce and the joy of falling for January. As it was, I didn't really got a feel for his personality, only for his charisma and for the way January perceived him—but what if she was wrong about things? I don't know, there's this weird aftertaste of mistrust, lol. Also, I would have liked to see more of his writing process. Show me this man trying to pen a romcom, don't just tell me he's doing it!
With January on the other hand, I definitely feel like I've got to know her plenty and I enjoyed her arc a lot, especially all the parts that had to do with her parents and how their relationship shaped her. I liked the balance she found between focusing on the good in the world and acknowledging that some things aren't as clear-cut and simple as she's been trying to believe.
All in all, this is an excellent, witty, sometimes cheesy love story with Hallmark vibes. Any flaws it has, for me, are easily compensated by the amount of joy it contains.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer, Vomit
Minor: Religious bigotry
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
It was a fun premise and turned out sweet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Vomit, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Sexism, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury
Interviews with family of a death cult
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
January cries so much. But it’s a really cute book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Vomit
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not my favorite Emily Henry book. I think it could’ve done with one less subplot—the cult subplot did nothing for me, though I know it helped Gus’s character arc a bit —and January’s avoidant attachment style got on my nerves by the end. Still, I appreciate how Henry always manages to build compelling, emotional scaffolding with depth around her romances, rather than relying exclusively on tropes and thin characterization. I cried when January read her father’s letters , and I really loved what happens in the “one year later” time lapse.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Vomit
emotional
funny
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t understand the hype around this book… it was a cool premise, but I found the characters depressing and their relationship to be toxic. I also didn’t like how their relationship was hinged mainly around sarcastic conversation. Again, just not healthy and overall seemed more like a trauma bond. Not a fault with the author or the book necessarily, but maybe just not my cup of tea. Definitely not a rom com if that’s what you’re looking for/expecting when going into this book like I was. It’s more in the straight fiction genre with a romance subplot.
I did like the author’s note at the end. It made a little more sense of her headspace for the book.
I did like the author’s note at the end. It made a little more sense of her headspace for the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent
emotional
funny
lighthearted
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the most unlikable main characters possible. the guy is kind of interesting at least, but there are no redeeming qualities for the girl.
extra .25 because, despite being predictable, chapter 25 was beautiful
extra .25 because, despite being predictable, chapter 25 was beautiful
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Vomit
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury