A review by cass_lit
Book Lovers by Emily Henry

5.0

I will eventually put down in words how much this book meant to me but in the meantime, just know that I loved it. 

**

There are so many things I loved about this book. This will be long and you have been warned, but I need to gush. 

Most importantly to me and least importantly to the story: ALL THE LITERARY REFERENCES. My book lover heart was so happy. From the classics (so many Jane Austen references 😭❤️) to the newer releases, so many of Nora and Charlie’s interactions referenced a book or a character and as a fellow ~book lover~ I felt so validated every single time. The fact that they compared their feelings about their relationship to feelings they get while reading books? I felt that in my soul. 

But I also loved Nora and Charlie and their relationship so much. I love that neither of them felt like they fit in, but not in a stereotypical “I’m not like other girls way” (at least that’s not how I took it!). I have felt the exact same judgement (or personal feeling of failure? 🥴) they both described from their families about my more millennial decisions like wanting to move out of my hometown, focusing on my career, *not* wanting the traditional kids and a house for myself. In a lot of romances, especially the melodramatic ones like Hallmark Christmas movies, the main character always realizes something about themselves and changes and gives up the life she (bc it is almost always the woman!!!) had. Nora and Charlie didn’t. Nora changed in that she learned to open up - but she went back to the big city and continued her late nights working and Charlie fit right into that life just the way that he was too!! When he immediately gets up to get a condom in the middle of sex bc she asked (even though she’s also on birth control, which is usually where the conversation ends in a contemporary romance book!)? That’s hot. And the fact that Nora could love her nieces in the most whole and pure way and be the best aunt with them and still not want kids of her own? I FELT THAT. I can’t tell you how many times people fight back about my not wanting children with “but you you’re so good with your nieces and nephews!” Just because I love *them* and am so happy *they* exist doesn’t at all mean I want my own. It’s not like it’s just not the right time for them while they work on their career, they just don’t want them. End scene. 

Okay, on to the tropes. I am normally not a huge enemies to lovers fan and much prefer friends to lovers. First off though, I really felt like this was more enemies to friends to lovers so I’d like to still count it (I mean, I think it was one-sided enemies anyway and he was totally in love with her from the start). But even if you don’t buy that, I thought this did everything that I’m usually iffy on in enemies to lovers really well. Charlie wasn’t some kind of complete asshole whose redemption arc I couldn’t get behind, he was a jerk the one time they met and they got off on the wrong foot. They talked about why they were “enemies,” which resulted in them being honest about what they could and couldn’t respect in a personality and being able to joke about it. Neither of them had a big personality change making them suddenly compatible. 

Most of the negative reviews I’m seeing are re: Nora’s relationship with her sister. I get that grief and anxiety and familial relationships aren’t sexy romcom topics. But I personally loved this part of the story bc I love seeing people going through real shit and still getting a happy ending love story. It was not the point of the book, but it was a bit part of it. As an older sister, I related to their relationship a LOT (except the almost exclusive use of the name “Sissy” - I cannot get behind that). I related to letting unresolved familial issues get between romantic relationships big time, and also with not being okay with just choosing me over it bc people say I should (unless those people are professionals, and I love that Nora gets set up with a therapist at the end). My guess is that people who hate this part of the story don’t have a lot of familial trauma (I almost lost my big sister, and it’s fundamentally changed my relationship with everyone I care about), or they have a lot and read for escapism. 

Also, in the acknowledgments, Emily Henry thanks her local independent book store. Unintentionally, that is where I bought this book because it is also MY local independent book store. This just confirms that Book Lovers and I somehow spiritually connected.