Here's the thing: if I could give this books a hundred thousand stars I would.

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's 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.

I have not enjoyed a book as much as I enjoyed this one in a very, very long time. Casey is simply a phenomenal character. Some of her struggles I could relate to; some others - like the loss of her mother - are entirely foreign to me, but depicted in such an honest, raw, and authentic way, that they broke my heart nonetheless.

The book's greatest strength, in my opinion, is how real it felt. King managed to really capture the little moments of everyday life that make life both unique and bearable; the conversations with your co-workers that make you feel like someone has your back, the simple gestures that make you realize that someone's there for you, that someone's been there for you all along.

The book's second greatest asset, second only to its honesty, is its unique way of looking at certain things. I don't want to spoil too much, but the way Oscar talks about his wife's death and how it has affected its children is one I have never seen before. Or the way Casey describes European art, and how "a whole continent (was) possessed by one story for centuries"; King just manages to express Casey's thoughts, emotions, and state of mind in a truly unique, distinctive way.

I suppose what really made this book special for me is that, for the first time in a while, the protagonist and the people around her expressed thoughts and emotions in ways I hadn't seen before. Writers & Lovers is not just a very refreshing work of literature, but, at least for me, a wonderful, thought-provoking read. This is exactly the type of book I thought Normal People was going to be. While Normal People did not live up to my expectations, this book is as intriguing and inspiring as you've heard. I genuinely cannot recommend it enough.

3.75 stars

Casey is in her early 30s living in Boston. Her mother has just died. She works as a waitress and is an aspiring novelist. Grief and all of her other problems make day to day life feel challenging and uncertain. Ok, this one took me a lot of time to read. I had trouble focusing on Casey's problems while in the middle of a world pandemic. But by the end, I was thankful to Lily King for the taste of normal life and normal problems. King is a good writer. She zeroes in a narrow situation and gets you right into her character's headspace. Writers & Lovers was strongest toward the end, but it was still worth reading despite (and given) our current situation.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to an advance copy.

One wonders if a more appropriate title would have been ‘Waiter, Writers and Lovers.’ For much of the first part of the novel, Casey Peabody is a waitress at Iris, a fairly upmarket restaurant. At this stage, she is probably at her lowest point of her life: She has no boyfriend, her mother whom she loves has suddenly died while she was on vacation, she has an outstanding debt of huge college loans which she is unable to settle and she works in a hostile environment. Though she is writing a novel, she seems to be suffering from a writer’s block. She is living in Boston, in rather squalid conditions in room which used to be a potting shed and, to reduce her rent, she walks her landlord’s dog. The only virtue she seems to possess is a persistence to continue writing her novel, in the face of immense obstacles when most of her friends have given up the thought of making their careers in writing and have taken the easy way out.
King spends a lot of time and effort describing Casey’s work as a waiter, serving well-heeled customers who are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. Her colleagues and her bosses are realistically portrayed, politics and favouritism dominating the scenario but in unnecessary detail which tends to slows down the pace of the book.

Casey suddenly finds herself faced with not one but two lovers: Oscar is a rich, middle aged successful writer, a widower with two sons and Silas, a struggling writer, closer to her age, to whom she is definitely more sexually attracted but who is not very reliable who seems to be playing hot and cold. She is faced with a choice between ‘fireworks’ on one hand and ‘coffee in beds on the other. It is here that the novel really picks up. King manages to make the choice evenly balanced and her skill as a novelist comes to the forefront. The language is beautiful and the characters are effectively portrayed in a concise manner.

There are perceptive and amusing feminist remarks. All boys are brought up to believe that they are destined for great things; though some women may be ambitious and self-driven, no woman says that ‘greatness was her destiny.’

Once the book picks up it is a great read. It’s only the first third of the book which may discourage a reader if he/she is not persistent.

This book is hard for me to review-I didn’t love it, but I objectively think it’s a good, descriptive book. It was a slow burn of a novel and a couple of times, I found myself bored. On the other hand, I found the protagonist to be likable and took interest in how she reacted to real-life scenarios. 3.5 ⭐️, rounded up to 4 ⭐️.

This book is getting a lot of well-deserved buzz. Chronicles the life of a writer and 2 men in her life. This will appeal to emerging writers as well as established writers. A worthy read, for sure.

This book! *Sigh* Thank you to Grove Press, Grove Atlantic, and Netgalley for this unedited galley.

I found so much of myself in Casey. At the age of 30, I lost my mother and moved 700 miles away, from my job and everyone and everything I knew, to start my life over again. For the first time in my life I had set out to discover who I truly am. Although our trials were different, I still empathized with Casey through every step of her journey. My heart ached for her, I felt joy and excitement for her, and I definitely chose a side for her in her lover’s triangle. This was an absolutely beautiful and inspiring book that I just could not put down. I literally just finished the book, minutes ago, and I am already missing Casey.

The book does get a little tedious, spending far too much time on details at the restaurant where Casey works as a waiter. I’d rather those details been thinned and more added to the ending. The ending felt a bit rushed for me. I understand that the restaurant and her job there were significant to Casey’s journey, but it introduced so many ancillary characters that by the end of the book I was asking, “Now who is Clark, again? Which one is Craig?” and on and on with her restaurant coworkers. It just made for a lot of characters to try and juggle. So, the pacing, for me, was not even throughout the book and I would’ve enjoyed more time spent on other storylines than the restaurant. That being said, I was gifted an unedited copy, so some things may have changed for the final publication.

Regardless, I loved this book so much that I added it to my favorites shelf and will be buying a finished copy for myself.

I love Lily King and I loved this book. There are so many books written these days about writing and not writing, and being in your thirties and wondering if you should keep trying to become the person you have dreamed of being. After a while they all start to blur. But not this one! Perhaps because it is written by a writer who is past that stage, perhaps because Lily King just writes so beautifully...probably both of those things....This novel just shines. I loved that so much of it is about work - and about working as a waitress specifically. It grounded the main character and grounded the book. Trying to write is also about trying to live, and this is a book about finding your voice through family, friends, lovers, kitchens, and the page, I am telling everyone I know to read this!

Thank you to #GrovePress & #NetGalley for allowing me access to this book on publication day. I have to say that I had quite a few emotions while reading this. Casey, a struggling writer who just lost her mother was also struggling with her grief. She lived in a dingy apartment (she walked to landlord's dog to get money taken off her rent), rode her bike to work regardless of the weather, and worked at a server at a restaurant where everyone had an attitude. Sometimes, she had a problem keeping up with her tables and was always getting warned about it. She had to keep that job because she was so much in debt and had to pay her bills. She needed her tips. You could feel her stress so much during the book. Casey did meet an acclaimed writer Oscar and they had a relationship but he was older than her and I got the impression he was a father figure since her father was not a good role model to Casey. She could have been a professional golfer but because her father pushed her so much, she did not want to be that person. She was a strong woman but had issues. The book in the beginning was a real downer but about three quarter of the way through, Casey's life took a positive turn. Good things started to happen to her and she became less gloomy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writer pulled you in and you could feel Casey's emotions from depression, to stress, to worry and then elation, contentment and happiness. It was interesting to follow the life a writer, waitress, sister, lover, teacher and author. This should be on every woman's TBR list.

Have you ever finished a book and felt a lingering sadness, wishing you were back in its world? Some readers like to call that a book hangover — an apt description of how I currently feel after reading Lily King’s Writers & Lovers. I read it compulsively — in bed at a too-late hour, sardined on my bus ride to work, while eating a one-handed lunch.

Book cover for Writers and Lovers by Lily King
Writers and Lovers
Lily King

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The latest book from the author of Euphoria, Writers & Lovers tells the story of Casey, a 31-year-old writer and waitress working to publish her first book and wrestling with the challenges of living a creative life (including $72,000 in student loan debt). When Casey moves to Boston in the wake of her mother’s death, she gets a job at an upscale restaurant in Harvard Square and enters into a love triangle with two very different men. Through Casey’s eyes, Writers & Lovers tackles a lot of big questions with a lot of wisdom: What does it mean to become an “adult?” How do you find fulfillment, and what does it look like? How does life move forward after profound loss?

I didn’t fully understand how much I loved this book until I missed it. And when I think about what I miss most, two things stand out: the honesty of the writing and the true-to-life world.



King’s writing is incredibly observant — especially her dialogue. It puts words to the little human experiences we don’t know are shared until we read it and laugh because it makes us feel seen. And it’s smart, but it doesn’t bang you over the head with how smart it is — it’s clear and patient and leaves room for the reader to do some of the work.

I also miss the vivid world King created. From the squawking geese along the Charles River to Oscar’s curious sons to the eclectic cast of characters at the high-end restaurant where Casey works, every scene and person felt like it really existed and is still existing. Even weeks after finishing it, I often imagine Casey crossing the Boston University bridge on her banana bike, the same bridge I commute over every morning.

Writers & Lovers is the type of book that makes you feel a little more known for having read it. And if you can’t tell from my barely-restrained gushing, it’s a book you’ll want to share with another reader. In King’s words, “It’s a particular kind of pleasure, of intimacy, loving a book with someone.” Here’s me trying to love it with you.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher, Grove Press, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I highly recommend this book! It was an enjoyable, uplifting book during a trying time (coronavirus is prevalent in the world right now). I loved the ending!

Camilla (aka Casey), the protagonist, has a prodigious amount of issues including deeply in debt, medical issues, no medical insurance, no transportation (rides a bicycle), dealing with the loss of her mother and trying to cope, and boyfriend issues. The book provides an insight into the tough life of an aspiring writer who is living in a potting shed and working as a waitress. Casey struggles with writer’s block and her life’s negativity adds to the challenge. The emotions of an author finishing a book allows the reader to connect with Casey. Throughout the book, there are quips that had me laughing out loud even during the times Casey was most down.

There are frequent lines that grabbed me. For example, there is a “… particular kind of pleasure, of intimacy, loving a book with someone.” As an avid reader, I very much enjoyed King’s frequent references to other books, their characters, and famous authors. The reader understands how the protagonist feels about them! It made me feel a connection with King, this author, and the protagonist, Casey.

Initially, I found the book hard to get into but stick with it! The feelings of the protagonist will grab you and you won’t want to put it down. I think this book is great for aspiring artists and anyone who loves to read!

I liked this book, especially the main characters's description of what she gained from reading specific books--many of which I've read. Not the usual pick-it-apart analysis of what did the author mean, but much more personal. Also her description of her personal reasons for writing was also fascinating.

I absolutely adored this novel. Our main character Casey is struggling with finding what it means to live life the way you want to. She's a writer and a waitress, living paycheck to paycheck. She falls in love with multiple men and tries to figure everything out. A novel has not touched me like this in a long time. As a writer myself, Casey felt dear to me. I saw myself in her. A novel has never made me look so introspectively before.

Ich liebe dieses Buch!
Ich kann gar nicht sagen, wann mich ein Buch das letzte mal so sehr angesprochen hat, wie dieses. Es hat alles, was eine perfekte Geschichte braucht: eine starke Heldin, Literatur spielt eine große Rolle und große Träume, die ins Leben gebracht werden wollen.
Die Heldin, Casey kämpft mit den Widrigkeiten ihres Autorenlebens, Geld ist immer knapp, sie kellnert um sich über Wasser zu halten. Sie hat riesige Schuldenberge und keine Krankenversicherung. Casey ist eine wunderbare Heldin- sie trotzt den schwierigen Umständen und stellt sich den Herausforderungen ihres Lebens mit großem Optimismus.
Der Roman ist vollkommen kitschfrei, kraftvoll und lebensbejahend, tief berührend und einfach wundervoll.
Lily King ist für mich eine echte Entdeckung!

One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I lived in the area and the author did an excellent job of representing it and the people in the area. It transported me to a younger self and the choices we are faced with during those times. The language was real...the people were real...in these times it was a book that I’ve recommended to a number of friends as a good literary read.

Casey Peabody is a struggling writer who works as a waitress while she is slowly trying to complete her first novel. Besides the fact that she is working in a job that she dislikes to pay her bills, she is living very frugally in a transformed potting shed because it is the only place she can afford. To make matters worse, her mother has recently and unexpectedly died and Casey is not coping well with the loss. And now, her recent love affair has not ended well so she is again searching for a lover to fill the empty space in her life. If all of these things aren’t enough, Casey finds out that she has some medical issues that cause her worry and need immediate attention.

This book is about Casey trying to find herself. She is beyond the age where she should have already matured but it seems that she can’t quite find her way to adulthood. She is always running into a barrier that prevents her from growing up. Trying to write a novel at the same time doesn’t work well either. Her anxiety over her life leads her to sleeplessness and to making bad mistakes including not being able to find a suitable life partner.

Unfortunately, the book’s plot proceeds very slowly. It seems to parallel Casey who moves in a very slow trajectory toward achieving her goal. Then all of a sudden about three-fourths of the way into the story everything starts to progress and come together. Not sure whether or not this was intentional on the part of the author but I felt like the book and Casey’s life moved at a very similar pace.

Casey’s struggles with life, writing, and romance are real and they certainly call for compassion and understanding. However, the book itself calls to a reader who will not give up on Casey and her trials and tribulations, and who will stay with the story, for better or worse, to its conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC ebook from which this review is written.

This book absolutely wrecked me. I was very emotional towards Casey, the main character. It’s a whirlwind of emotions as she tries to get her life together. She’s a writer who dates writers, and is crazy busy trying to pay off debt by waitressing. She thinks she’s a mess, but so is everyone around her. (Who isn’t?) Casey is relatable, and you really want to help her and cheer her on. I read this in one day, and felt emotionally drained by the end, but quite happy with the ending.

I started to read this book two different times and just could never get to a point that made me want to continue. On the second time, I made it to 32% and I am just not interested in the story. I originally requested the book because I thought it sounded like a book I would enjoy, but it just jumps around too much. The main character is whiny and dramatic and I was forcing myself to continue and never wanted to pick it up. I won't be finishing this book, but felt that I read enough to provide this feedback. I won't be posting this review on my blog or on Goodreads, but will mark it as a Did Not Finish book.

Following the death of her mother, Casey is struggling as a waitress and writer. And then comes love....not once, but twice. Casey's life becomes a wild balance as she tries to get to know herself all over again while keeping her creative juices flowing.

On the surface, this book is about a grieving, struggling writer working as a waitress. But in practice, it’s about love, hope, resilience, and finding yourself. Casey is depressed, anxious, and incredibly relatable as she navigates career and trying to make the right choices. So well written and engrossing that I didn’t want to put it down, and read it in one, long sitting.

The first half of this book was slow and dreary. I kept reading because it had good reviews. The second half was better and we see that Casey is very bright and observant. We also see she has good friends in Muriel and Harry, who are very likable characters. Her life and the decisions she makes start to improve and I was happy with the ending. The story was real and very human, just depressing. The best part was her therapist’s statement near the end.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.