A review by ghettopenguin
Book Lovers by Emily Henry

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Emily Henry is a wordsmith and I *will* devour her entire bibliography...

From a top-down view, maybe I'm just a newbie of romance novels published after 2000, but her ability to have
the connection and romance recognized by both parties throughout pretty much the entire book
is a massive feat, and one that really solidifies a romance novel into a book I'm 100% here for.

The main focus I love when it comes to Emily Henry's writing is not just the romantic connection, but the importance placed on every relationship in the book. (Happy Place comes to mind here) The relationship between Nora and Libby, Libby's daughters and husband Brendon. Charlie's parents and the relationships formed there - even Nora's clients and faceless characters have a depth to them that allows them to come to life to create a story that's a certified, legitimate page-turner.

In addition, on a more personal note, as a recovering workaholic and 31-year-old pregnant "woman" (house goblin), it's very very fucking nice to read a story about a 32-year-old woman and her pregnant sister.

The cons: 
  •  
    We never got to find out how Nora and Libby's mum died
      - maybe this was cut out, or perhaps it didn't need to be addressed, but god damn it, I need answers
  • If Nora and Charlie are the exact same height as addressed, what unworldly bodily contortion was going on for the description of that dance scene?
  • It's all a bit Cameron Diaz a la The Holiday

The Honourable Mentions
  • I love that the Hallmark movie-esque feel of the book is not lost on Henry, and is openly acknowledged in the... uh... acknowledgments. (Obviously)
  • I think the questions on the books' various topics at the end is a really nice touch, even if its purpose is to encourage friends to read it also (a sales trick that's absolutely working on me)
  • This book, this story, these characters, they feel familiar - like someone I recognise, though they're far from over-done or overly used archetypes. (And when they are, their story is told from a different angle)
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