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A review by readwithria
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
Book Lovers is 100% worth the hype.
Prior to reading Book Lovers, I had a somewhat split opinion about Emily Henry. I loved People We Meet on Vacation, but didn't love Beach Read. Now that I've finished Book Lovers I can say with confidence that I'm on the Emily Henry hype train.
Book Lovers is so much more than a romcom. It turns tropes on their heads. It's full of so many different kinds of love. It made me laugh out loud, and also made me tear up a couple of times. I cannot sing this book enough praise.
Things I loved
- The banter! It was so funny, and the dry wit was exactly my kind of humor
- Nora and Charlie are so great for each other! As they learn about each other it opens them up to the reader as well. They are so compelling, and their motivations feel very grounded in reality
- Nora and Libby's sibling relationship was amazing! Seeing how they interact makes me want to hang out with my own sister more, and their trials and tribulations were so relatable even in the most extreme cases (yes, I have kept dumb secrets from my sister for no reason. no, I don't think that's weird at all)
- The depiction of people who don't want kids of their own, but still like kids! Nora's nieces are adorable, and I want to be that cool aunt when I grow up. I love how Nora didn't change her mind for a man, how she loved her nieces, and how she had a very reasonable reason for not wanting her own kids. A+, I feel very seen
- The book talk! Some of it was a little meta, and I could tell Emily Henry was poking fun at some accusations made about her not visiting the places she has written about, which I personally found hilarious. There were also some structural things about the book-within-a-book that reflected back onto Book Lovers itself, and I found that quite intriguing! It definitely made me want to think more about plot structure in a very nerdy way
Things I didn't love
- Libby calls Nora "Sissy" and it was a little weird, but it didn't bother me enough to detract from the reading experience
The characters were amazing, the writing was both hilarious and heartfelt, and the story kept me reading for hours on end. 5 stars.
Prior to reading Book Lovers, I had a somewhat split opinion about Emily Henry. I loved People We Meet on Vacation, but didn't love Beach Read. Now that I've finished Book Lovers I can say with confidence that I'm on the Emily Henry hype train.
Book Lovers is so much more than a romcom. It turns tropes on their heads. It's full of so many different kinds of love. It made me laugh out loud, and also made me tear up a couple of times. I cannot sing this book enough praise.
Things I loved
- The banter! It was so funny, and the dry wit was exactly my kind of humor
- Nora and Charlie are so great for each other! As they learn about each other it opens them up to the reader as well. They are so compelling, and their motivations feel very grounded in reality
- Nora and Libby's sibling relationship was amazing! Seeing how they interact makes me want to hang out with my own sister more, and their trials and tribulations were so relatable even in the most extreme cases (yes, I have kept dumb secrets from my sister for no reason. no, I don't think that's weird at all)
- The depiction of people who don't want kids of their own, but still like kids! Nora's nieces are adorable, and I want to be that cool aunt when I grow up. I love how Nora didn't change her mind for a man, how she loved her nieces, and how she had a very reasonable reason for not wanting her own kids. A+, I feel very seen
- The book talk! Some of it was a little meta, and I could tell Emily Henry was poking fun at some accusations made about her not visiting the places she has written about, which I personally found hilarious. There were also some structural things about the book-within-a-book that reflected back onto Book Lovers itself, and I found that quite intriguing! It definitely made me want to think more about plot structure in a very nerdy way
Things I didn't love
- Libby calls Nora "Sissy" and it was a little weird, but it didn't bother me enough to detract from the reading experience
The characters were amazing, the writing was both hilarious and heartfelt, and the story kept me reading for hours on end. 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Medical content
Minor: Vomit