This book has been on my TBR for so long it's almost embarrassing. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy from Grove Atlantic but just never got around to reading it.

Unfortunately, Writers & Lovers just wasn't for me. I struggled to really understand the plot/what I was reading for the first 30% of the book. So it's a very, very slow start. On top of that, this book is written from the perspective of a writer. That's all fine and good most of the time, but this one was read almost like stream of consciousness. There were no clear chapters, and the book jumped around a lot. Then to top if off, once I was finally interested in the storyline, the book ended extremely abruptly. Sadly, it just wasn't for me, but that doesn't mean it might not be for you.

The story themes of grief, loss, insecurity, and feeling lost are absolutely present here in Casey. It just fell flat for me.

This one was a mixed bag for me. I struggled with the pacing of the first half and out it down multiple times. In the end I found it interesting enough, but slow: an introspective look into a writer's brain and life with some relatable stuggles (others not so much).

Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, so I'm not able to leave a review. I look forward to reading and reviewing books by this author in the future.

Writers & Lovers is a brilliant examination of the life of a debut writer, juggling work, love, grief, and writing. King writes with humour and sharp observation, and I loved getting to know Casey.

🪿 BOOK REVIEW 🪿

Synopsis: Blindsided by her mother's sudden death and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, moldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she has been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey's fight to fulfill her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink.

Review: This was a very different read for me! As I don’t read blurbs/synopsis I never know what I’m going to get, and I’ve learnt I don’t typically like character driven books. But this is an exception! The writing was so well done, I couldn’t help but be completely enveloped in the characters world. I also enjoyed that she was a little unlikeable, and made decisions that go against the grain of what we typically see in books. I loved the anxiety and endometriosis representation, and I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re looking for something unique and different!

4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can't believe I waited so long to read this book! Writers and Lovers was a beautiful story about Casey, a struggling writer and waitress, trying to cope after her mother's unexpected death. She is estranged from her father, thousands of mile away from her brother and in serious college debt. While slow at times, I was invested in Casey's character and rooting her on as she navigates life. I would love to read more by Lily King. #netgalley

This was the very first book I read from this author. It is not often that I am so underwhelmed with a book, yet here it is. It took me a long time to read this book because of the sheer boredom I felt throughout most of it. When I thought all was loss though, the last quarter of the book was a bit redemptive. I think I really struggled with this book because it was so self indulgent and just completely pointless. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

A really enjoyable, well-paced novel . The characters were realistic and likeable whilst also flawed. Also a very interesting insight into the realities of eing a writer. A solid 4 stars pushing up to the border of 5!

I couldn't get into this book, no matter how many times I tried. I have read other things by this author and was at least able to finish them.

Disclaimer: I read this book a long time ago so the details are fuzzy, but I am trying to clean up my NetGalley shelf.

I would definitely categorize this as sad girl fiction, kind of in the realm of Hanna Halperin and Sally Rooney. Casey, aspiring (and struggling) writer, is just trying to make ends meet as she deals with the aftermath of her mother’s death and the end of a relationship. In the pages that follow she gets swept up in 2 romances (which felt very much as if they could represent the two very different paths her life could take) as she also tries to figure out her career and life as a whole. What stuck with me about the book is how it beautifully dealt with the complex relationships in it, but also with Casey’s struggle to decide what kind of life she wanted to live.

Highly Recommend! I wasn't sure reading a novel about a novel was going to be very good. However, this book proved me wrong. Casey is easy to identify with. This story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions that will stay with you for a very long time.

Books about writers can be so hard to get right. Some things are romanticized, while others are sort of glossed over. Lily King succeeds with this novel. Her main character, Casey, is a down-on-her-luck writer, waiting tables and trying to finish her first novel. She's had a string of failed relationships and her mother recently died. She's stuck in a cycle of poverty and depression, while still working her butt off to get ahead and to find connections (both professionally and emotionally). Her love of literature and of being a writer comes across so fully, that it was easy for me to relate to her. But Casey does tend to make a ton of bad decisions (which makes her both relatable and frustrating!).

My issue with this book is that there were parts that were extremely boring. I kept waiting for more action to happen, and when it did, it felt like major events were brushed aside pretty quickly. I was also bummed out with the ending. Some aspects were tied up really neatly, while I was left with some questions with others.

King does have a gorgeous way with words, but this book felt really long (even though it's only like 300 pages). I'd probably read more from her in the future because she's so good at her craft, but I'd have to be in the mood for a book with an emphasis on character development versus plot.

Possible spoilers ahead. NetGalley approved my request to read this book in March of 2020. I was so excited to read it at the time and then Covid happened, I had one kid, and then two kids, and now I have returned to a moment in my life that feels settled enough to read this book with my full attention. This is actually pretty fitting considering Casey’s struggles and the ultimate way that life rewards her for those effort. At the end, her accomplishment feels like my accomplishment. But I am real, and she is a character from a story. Therein lies Lily King’s brilliance. King truly taps in to what is it like to be human - the bad, the ugly, the sadness, the triumphs, and the small moments that life delivers that feel so poetic and fitting though they are minor. I read Euphoria and I loved its bittersweet ending. This happy ending didn’t feel like pandering; it felt like a true culmination how how life is supposed to be and how it can be with the the right amount of luck and a bunch of hard work.

This was my first Lily King and I was skeptical from the synopsis but ended up loving it! It hooked me right from the first page and was just quietly poetic and lovely.

I reviewed this book on my Booktube channel. The review can be accessed here: https://youtu.be/sWfswPNiltU

I'm unsure of this book. It was just an okay read for me, but I did like some elements. Casey is a struggling writer who has gone through a lot, and just wants to focus on writing and making sure her life is stable. Overall, the big picture of the story is interesting, but the writing kind of made it a little boring or slow to get through.

*Thank you to @netgalley and Grove Press for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon because less than 4 stars.*

I had an advance copy of this book and cannot BELIEVE I put it off as long as I did!! It was an engrossing, surprisingly propulsive read for a book about art/grief/finding your way. It captured my attention at a time when very little could corral my whirling brain, and there were so many insights about ways to be in the world that made me want to press it into my friends' hands.

The summary--an aspiring writer in New York City in the 90s, grappling with the loss of her mother, creative hurdles, and fractured love affairs--doesn't even scratch the surface of the aching, funny story woven here, a story elevated by King's prose and her ability to expose tenderness and harsh reality almost in tandem, just the way we experience them in life.

If you've been meaning to pick this up? Treat yourself by doing it sooner rather than later.

Writer’s & Lovers is such a beautiful book about writing, hardships, relationships, and everything in between. Casey Peabody is a struggling writer who has been working on a manuscript for six years. As she gets close to finishing the first draft of her novel, she is also grappling with the sudden death of her mother and trying to climb out of mountains of school debt. Casey desperately tries to keep her creative ventures in balance with her other adult responsibilities and finds herself crippled with anxiety as she tries to navigate it all. Full of honesty and hope, this isn’t a book you want to miss.

Easily one of the best books I've read all year, Writers & Lovers is going to be a favorite for many years to come.

I love reading about the 90s and I love reading about writing and this novel is at the top of the pile for both. Add in the restaurant and romance scenes and I flew through this in one sitting.