After reading this book, I will never look at a waitress the same again. Although the restuarant is not the main story, it was eye opening to me. I loved the book, partly because I really liked Casey (who, spoiler alert, ends up being a teacher) and it takes place in Boston, where I live. So the bridges, the Charles, etc. are places I can recognize. When the book starts Casey is a very sad character, but as the story progresses she becomes stronger to the point that she can stand up to her father and even help her brother through a crises of his own. The end of the book really was exciting and I loved the ending. It was a very satisfying read.

This was a book that was quiet in the beginning, however that is okay, it was good that Lily King set the scene. The second part I was so in it, I can relate to a friend who just finished it in one sitting. It packs in so much - love, loss, writing, struggles of working in a restaurant, sexism, relationships.. I loved all this and all the themes intertwined in this plot. At the same time it was hopeful and when in the end I had tears in my eyes, I knew this is a book, that will stay with me for a long time. I could relate to Casey and the feelings and observations she had about relationships, work etc..I have thought the exact same thoughts. A beautiful book, one I will be urging many people to read.
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Excerpts
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Not really. I liked reading, but I was picky about books. I think the ethousiasm came when I started writing. Then I understood how hard it is to re-create in words what you see and feel in your head.
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I’ve forgotten what gets revealed right after you break up with someone.
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He’s never going to allow himself the option of you or any other guy,. He’s not that brave. And I don’t think you’re in love with him. You just needed to play out and old attraction
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I don’t write because I think I have something to say. I write because if I don’t it feels even worse.
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Like many parents, my father wanted to give me what he couldn’t reach.

Really a 3.5. This is a good, fast read. For me a very relatable story of a woman who wants to pursue her passion of wriitng but at what cost? Additionally we are faced with her inward angst over her mother's death and her father's perversion AND so much more (thus the "Lovers"). It's very relatable as she avoids and eventually deals with these issues. The only real disappointment is the very pat, happy ending. I'm not sure it was keeping in the spirit of the book and it fell a little flat for me. Nonetheless, King's writing is compelling and good, I still recommend. Thank you to Net Galley for supplying a free copy for an honest review.

3.5 Stars!

This one kinda missed the mark for me. I considered DNFing because it felt like trekking through the woods, circling by the same landmark, and realizing you're lost. The protagonist was essentially lost in the throes of grief, dad issues, debt, and a dead end job until she wasn't. She struggled with real life issues that one could relate with, although they were blown slightly out of proportion.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Press for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved this book! Writers and Lovers is about Casey, a 31 year old writer who is struggling to make it. She is in crippling debt, she works at a restaurant that she doesn’t really like, she is working through her relationship with her father, and her mom recently passed away. This is a character driven novel, and I found it hard to put down. I was incredibly drawn to Casey and wanted the best for her. I can’t wait to read more from Lily King. 5 stars.

4.5 stars. This was a lovely read that grew closer to my heart as I read on. The setting is Cambridge, Ma in 1997, just five years before I moved to the city and started spending most of my time there, so It was very nostalgic reading about those streets and places.
I also really loved Casey, the mc, and wanted to be her friend. I needed to keep reading to make sure she would be okay

Casey Peabody is 31. Her mother has just died while on a trip to Chile, Casey is living in a converted garden shed, her married poet boyfriend has just dumped her, and she still hasn’t finished her novel. Overburdened with student debt, Casey works as a server at Iris, a fancy restaurant, while continuing to write. It’s only when she starts dating two other writers, that she is able to start seeing a way out of her depression. But even as Casey begins to find a way out from under the cloud, there are more obstacles before a (maybe slightly too pat) resolution is reached.

I very much enjoyed Ms King’s Euphoria, about anthropologists in New Guinea, and the subject matter of Writers & Lovers does seem a bit more mundane. But I loved the writerly detail the author brings to the voice of Casey, particularly in the sections set in Iris, where the specificity of her job and relationships with the other staff is enthralling. I’ve never been a restaurant server or a writer but having read this lovely novel, I feel like I know a bit more about how it feels.

Similarly, I found her liaisons with Oscar, an older widowed well-known writer with two charming young sons, and Silas, a fellow struggling author who is in Oscar’s workshop, beautifully written and engaging, though I do slightly chafe at the idea of a woman’s redemption (even if only partially) coming through a relationship with a man.

Throughout, Casey’s voice, as she deals with loss, grief, and debt, feels authentic and wry, and we can see her mature and change organically over the course of the novel.

Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

I picked this one for the meta: a writer writing about writing. Would it feel forced, unnatural, maybe self-serving? Whatever notions I had going in, I found myself gloriously sucked into the story of Casey Peabody in Lily King’s <i>Writers & Lovers</i>.

Casey embodies the “starving artist,” dealing with struggles that ring familiar to the plight of fellow writers, musicians, and actors. She’s but one of thousands of Cambridge, Massachusetts city-dwellers, yet reading this novel gives you an undeniable intimacy with the challenges that Casey must face daily. There’s struggling, and then there’s <i>struggling</i>—she regrettably falls in the latter group. Under a crushing mountain of college debt, living in a molding garage, coping with the loss of her mother and an estranged father, juggling waitressing shifts at an upscale restaurant, and torn between romances with two very different men. Oh, and there’s a not so small aspiration on the side: she’s trying to finish her first novel.

This story wins in my eyes because Casey wholeheartedly deserves the spotlight. In unembellished prose that is chock full of heart, you find yourself relating and empathizing with her. How often have we vacillated in our decisions, be it about career paths or relationships? Like Casey, we’ve all felt unproductive at times, impulsive at others. Sadness, loss, and anxiety are familiar, as unwelcome as they may be. And ha, let’s not talk about college debt (yikes)....

From deadpan dialogue to delightful descriptions of her waitressing and outdoor walks to resonating internal monologue, I found that the pace rarely dragged as her past and present naturally revealed themselves. To follow Casey’s journey over the course of this novel is to watch a soda bottle relentlessly being shaken—for every disappointment, every setback, and every disaster thrown her way, the pressure mounts until you’re just counting the seconds till the cap flies off in a messy explosion. Yet there is also laughter and friendship with her restaurant coworkers and writer friends; small steps forward and positive developments in her novel; and some breathtaking moments of romance. These precious moments give a chance for your heart to settle and recoup from the never-ending onslaught of what we call “life.”

At the end of the day, King has managed to bottle up both the regrets and joys of living, and I am glad to have witnessed Casey rise to fulfillment in health, career, and love—a wonderfully imperfect rise of glides, jerks, and surges.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was gifted a copy of this book from @netgalley and @GroveAtlantic in exchange for an honest review. ⭐⭐⭐ Casey is a 31 year old writer and waitress whose mom recently died. We follow her through her troubles with debt, relationships, and finishing her novel. This was one of those books that I just felt wasn't for me. I was the wrong audience for this one. I couldn't relate to any of the characters and didn't know most of the authors and books that were mentioned in the book. I was interested to find out what was going on happen to Casey, but it didn't "wow" me. This book is available now. #writersandlovers #netgalley

Oh man. I keep getting these books about parents dying and they are hard for me after losing my mom this year. So, this book. When Euphoria came out I remember seeing it everywhere with beautiful colorful cover. I bought it and ended up not finishing it because I just couldn't get into it. I thought this one might be the same as it starts pretty slow. I kept going and I'm so glad I did. As an English major and former waitress, aspiring writer with lots of student debt and having recently lost my mom, I related to Casey on many levels. Luckily I have a good dad so I didn't share that in common with her. Casey's own struggle with the anxiety of being 31 and feeling like she hasn't accomplished anything worthwhile is also so relatable and her anxiety is written with care and precision. She has also lost the love of her life and soon finds herself in another bind in choosing between two men who meet her needs in very different ways. As I said, this was slow at first, but absolutely worth it due to the character development and detail in which it was written. I believe now I must give Euphoria another chance as I love King's writing style.

This story is about love, loss, anxiety, and trying to survive when life is trying to knock you down at every turn. Casey is going through it all as she is doing her best to survive and finish her novel. Ups and downs make that one heck of a journey. I really enjoyed following her story and rooting for her to win in the end.

3.75 rounded up to 4

I was immediately drawn into this book by the intense sorrow of the main character, Casey Peabody. I confess I have a thing for melancholy in storytelling. My favorite movie is "Terms of Endearment" because I love when my heartstrings are pulled. As the book begins we get a strong sense of sadness in Casey. She is living in a garden shed, all that she can afford due to the crushing college loan debt she is only paying minimums on. She has been trying to finish writing a novel for the last six years. She has a regular practice of getting up pre-dawn for some dedicated writing time, before hopping onto her bicycle and pedalling to her waitress job at The Iris. A huge part of her sadness is because her mother suddenly passed away in recent months. Her mother had been on a trip with friends, and there was no conclusive medical reason as to why she died without warning in hospital. Casey is still reeling from this, along with the financial burden that weighs so heavily upon her. At the beginning of the book when Casey was riding to her waitress job on her bicycle, just feeling as if she would fall apart physically, weeping... she had me hooked in emotionally.

Oddly enough, my favorite parts of the book were when Casey was waitressing at The Iris, an upscale eatery. I loved reading about all the little behind the scenes details of how a restaurant runs, and the many intricate steps to setting up the dining room before clientele arrive, taking the orders, serving, dealing with the chefs, etc. Being a waitress has to be one of the hardest jobs, and Casey worked her butt off at this dual level establishment. My favorite glimpse into working at The Iris was when she was carefully setting up an outside deck area with candlelit tables, the view complimented by lots of greenery and flowers.

An area of conflict in the book was Casey deciding between two very different boyfriends. Both were writers. Silas was a young, up and coming "never been published" writer like Casey, who drove a lime green LeCar, still unsettled and finding himself, just like Casey. At the other side of the spectrum, Oscar was already a successful published author who had book signing tours, a beautiful home, and was widowed with two young sons.

Casey clearly had a lot of stress and sadness to deal with. She would have a "clenching" regimen going up and down her body to somehow deal with her anxiety. She also had difficulty sleeping. I kept thinking, "she needs someone to take care of her".

Casey's brother Caleb visited briefly towards the end of the book and for some reason this section had me disengaging. For me, it detracted from the story, didn't add anything to it. It had me slightly skimming.

In summation, I have a thing for "quiet reads" and I would include this in that genre. Books that don't make a big splash, but speak to me about the simple movements, pleasures, and tragedies of daily life. The technical writing style was good, but not as free flowing and easy as I would like. I would rate this somewhere between a 3 and a 4.

I found main character Casey not likable. She lose her mom, her dad is not a great one, she has collage debt and working on a her book for six years. I agreed all these are not great things you want to deal with got it! But she is constantly remind us, how bad her dad is or how much she miss her dead mom is little bit overwhelming. I did not hate the story but was not a big fan too. It was very slow, nothing excited to make you read at first seat. The most fun parts was at the restaurant where she works for living. Her friendship with coworkers and interaction with guests was fun.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The book is beautifully written, the prose is fluid and easily read. But I kept waiting for 'it' - the goose bumps factor - to start. It didn't. The story rambled on as Casey remained committed to nothing, except her novel, and that was sporadic. The characters were predictable. However, due to the lyrical beauty of the language used by the author, the book gets three stars.

I really loved this wonderful story and its characters. I loved how Casey's is a coming-of-age story, but not the typical one we hear. I rooted for her, feared for her, and hoped for good things to come her way. Romantic, inspiring, funny, and warm, I thought this was very well done. I'll be looking for more books by Lily King!

Casey is completely committed to writing her book. She is living in terrible accommodation with an awful job and lots of debt all to achieve this end goal. In the meantime, she is dating two very different men - Oliver, a successful writer and widower, and Silas - younger and with no current prospects. This is a feel good book with a satisfying ending but I never really felt drawn into Casey’s life so I’m sticking with three stars.

Very entertaining tale of relationships from an author clearly skilled in clever dialogue and writing. I found myself laughing more times than I care to admit. The principal characters are richly drawn and infuse this story with wit and life. Highly recommended.

👍Pick it: If you’re 20-something, if you’re looking for the lovechild of <i>Normal People</i> and <i>Sweetbitter</i>, or if you’re just due for a good sob session.
👎Skip it: If you’re the type of person who gets depressed by rain or demands full-stop happy endings.

“You can’t make a good spaghetti sauce with rotten tomatoes,” Lily King said in a <a href= "https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/books/review/lily-king-by-the-book-interview.html"> recent interview </a>. Four years ago, I read <i>Euphoria</i>, and still point to it as one of the first books with prose that demanded attention. Lily King is the queen of structure. Every word is a messenger. Every sentence is a mic drop.

And in <i>Writers & Lovers</i>, she’s used only the ripest tomatoes yet again.

The story follows Casey Peabody: a waitress,(dispassionately ), a writer (discreetly ), single (relatively), grappling with her place in a world where her mother is not.

Casey’s cordless attachments to her career, relationships, grief and goals misbrand her as an unrestricted agent!, a worry-free bohemian with a world of opportunity at her feet! However, rather than bolstered, we see how she is paralyzed by the indecision to wholly pursue, well, anything or anyone.

But don’t get it twisted: <i>Writers & Lovers</i> is not a feast for the cynical. What is remarkable about a book that uncorked many o’ tears (big, sloppy sobs), is how King sculpts Casey — unquestionably developed, but not fixed (completely) or grown (fully).

It’s a book about unsolved struggle. It’s a book about unglued grief. It’s a book about writing a book!, a thread so unfavorably meta until all these storylines fall under Lily King at the helm. <i>Writers & Lovers</i> is my favorite book of 2020 thus far, a ruminating coming-of-age story that stitches aching honesty for What Is with a cathartic optimism of What’s To Come.

Writers and Lovers is about love. Falling in love, being in love, finding love. Casey loves writing. As a promising young author she is captivated and held captive by her love of writing. At the same time, she wants to fall in love. And, she does with two separate men. This book is a wonderful exploration of the complexities of human nature. I loved this book!

First of all, I want to thank Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for giving me the possibility of reading Writers & Lovers. This book had been on my anticipated books of 2020 list on Goodreads, just by reading the synopsis. Even though I was so excited to read it, it still took me a while to finished it for many reasons: at the top of the list, college readings, assignments, etc.

Anyway, I finished reading this beauty! And one sure thing is that this book was one hell of a ride, a real roller coaster of emotions. What I loved with this story was that it was written in a very lifelike way; the main character goes through many ups and downs throughout the book. She's always contemplating her past and the choices she made. She is trying to put her life into perspective after an event that had a significant impact on her.
In this book, we can go through heartbreaking moments to hilarious stories that lighten the mood and meaningful life decisions to make, that I couldn't help but imagine myself in her shoes and see what I would do. Casey is such a relatable character, and I was rooting for her throughout the book! One aspect that I enjoyed was how Lily King portrayed the different love interests that Casey met throughout the book; they are definitely not your typical book boyfriend type (which I occasionally like to read because we have to keep it real!) They have flaws or personalities that completely clashes with hers at times. And just like in her life, she is trying to find what she wants out of a relationship. And seeing her put herself first, believing in herself, and fighting for what she wants is as much exhilarating for her as it is for me.

Now in terms of how the story developed, I thought that it took a little time to see the plot evolve at the beginning, and sometimes I found some of the passages hard to follow as it went from one story to another pretty quickly. So, I had difficulties immersing myself in it, but thanks to this lockdown period, I took my time to read it, and once the story enthralled me, I couldn't stop reading!

What I also liked were the many references to other literary works, or the focus on the author's writing process, how hard it can be to write a scene from beginning to finish, or to be confronted with writer's block. And in this book, we feel the anxiety that the main character and all the persons that she encounters feel. And I kind of related to that with my research thesis and how sometimes I can feel stuck, and I don't know how to elaborate or if it good enough. So I think I'm going to take a page out of Casey's story and believe in my words and keep writing!

With this book, Lily King clearly didn't sugarcoat all the hard work that is put into writing a book and how to live as a beginner writer. How a few succeed, and many aspire to be like them.
Writers & Lovers was a fantastic discovery, I liked the way it was written, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a contemporary read on life choices, love, and growing up.