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A review by jefferz
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
emotional
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
4.5
A solid 4.5 that I'm tentatively rounding up as a nod to how well crafted this novel is. The dialogue between the various characters is snappy and the back and forth snark between Nora and Charlie is amazing (while also giving me uncanny valley to how I talk and respond at times). What I love about Book Lovers is it's realist satirical tone poking fun at the common romance book tropes delivered via Nora's first-hand expertise as a literary book agent; it's so refreshing to read how it throws in a common trope and then runs with it as a self-aware joke. While it's not categorized as a comedy per say, I often found myself chuckling thanks to the witty dialogue and smart humor (+some purposefully cringy business pun names).
The last plot sequence in the last 70 pages or so is where the narrative started to stray from my personal taste. I was fully sold for majority of the story but I found Nora's perspective and character to be a little off-putting. This is entirely a me thing; her character development and internal growth is excellent and relatable for many but is not something I connect or empathize with personally (this guy is cold and shark like Nora's public exterior but without any of her sentimental and family-focused priorities). However I'm inclined to bump it up instead of down due to its execution and objective quality, Book Lovers as a whole is solid and it helps that Charlie is probably one of my favorite and more distinctive love interest characters in recent reads.
The last plot sequence in the last 70 pages or so is where the narrative started to stray from my personal taste. I was fully sold for majority of the story but I found Nora's perspective and character to be a little off-putting. This is entirely a me thing; her character development and internal growth is excellent and relatable for many but is not something I connect or empathize with personally (this guy is cold and shark like Nora's public exterior but without any of her sentimental and family-focused priorities). However I'm inclined to bump it up instead of down due to its execution and objective quality, Book Lovers as a whole is solid and it helps that Charlie is probably one of my favorite and more distinctive love interest characters in recent reads.