Rivals to lovers romance with two city dwellers in a small town. Book lovers unite with all of the literary references between the main characters in the book industry and the witty and cutting banter. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for a copy for a honest review.

Okay, let’s talk about Book Lovers by Emily Henry—because I feel like I’ve got some thoughts. First off, the cover? Chef’s kiss. It screams cozy, small-town romance, right? But, spoiler alert: this book is like a rom-com that doesn’t want to admit it’s a rom-com. It’s got the grumpy sunshine (Nora = grumpy, Charlie =...broody? We’ll call it "grumpy 2.0") trope, the enemies-to-lovers kinda, and a whole lot of sarcastic banter. Sounds perfect, right? Well...

Nora Stephens is a literary agent who knows her worth, but the book doesn’t really give her a lot of “heroine” energy. I mean, can we get a little more growth? Instead, she spends most of the book being a little too self-aware, and honestly, I got a little tired of hearing about how she wasn’t a "typical" heroine. We get it, Nora, you’re not interested in a cozy, small-town makeover—stop reminding me.

Then there’s Charlie Lastra, the broody editor who is probably great at his job but spends too much time sulking. I’m not even sure why I was rooting for them because they’ve already met so many times before, and every time it’s awkward. Seriously, this is supposed to be a meet-cute... but it’s more of a “we-can’t-even-have-a-nice-conversation” situation.

Now, here’s the plot twist: there isn’t one. Or at least, not one that’s that mind-blowing. The "twist" feels more like a mild huh, I didn't see that coming moment, but nothing really leaves me gasping for air.

Overall, it's fine. Not great, but not terrible. It’s like that second cup of coffee in the afternoon—it gets you through, but you won’t remember it by dinner. I don’t know if I’ll pick it up again, but it definitely had some good moments of witty dialogue and small-town vibes. If you're into sarcastic banter and slow-burn tension, this one might work for you, but if you’re looking for a deep, life-changing rom-com... maybe give this one a pass.

This was my first ever Emily Henry book that I finished. Beach Read and People we meet on vacation weren't really my thing.

Book Lovers was entertaining. I loved all the tropes in the book, truly a book lovers dream.
Nora and Charlie were really cute together. Really enjoyed that!

I'm not really convinced that Emily Henry's writing style is for me, but I'll probably try another one of her books someday.

This is a very lighthearted book. I am not a big fan of rom-com books but decided to give this one a try. I liked the back and forth banter between Charlie & Nora but it kind of fell flat halfway through the book. I liked the small town setting.

I only just recently got into Emily Henry, and I can't believe it took me this long. Her books are so well-written, her characters unique, the relationships specific and relateable, and the overall messaging beautiful. Thanks for writing these books!

I adored the romance in this one. The main couple is literally everything to me. However, I found the dynamic between the two sisters extremely irritating and frustrating to read about. I didn't feel that natural and it seemed super pointless that much of the book was centered around that.

This is a book about the relationship between sisters, and about finding your match in the world. Nora is the city woman in every Hallmark movie - the slick career woman who's not going to wear sensible shoes. And she knows it and she loves her life. Except the part where the men she dates go off and marry a small town inn keeper's daughter or something like that.

Nora's relationship with her sister is really special. Nora has been the caretaker for years, even when her sister no longer needs to be taken care of. You can see the conflict coming a mile away and there's nothing to be done. When Nora keeps something from her sister to protect her, you know it could blow everything up.

And Nora's interaction with Charlie, her editor-nemesis, starts out with the sort of antagonistic back and forth which is terrifically fun to read.

Overall, this is a great story of growing, letting go of some things, and keeping others.

Technically, I received an advance copy to read and review, but that was two years ago. I listened to the audiobook version from my local library.

At this point, we know what we're getting in an Emily Henry romance - girl reunites with guy she knows, gets to know him better and falls in love. The formula maintains itself here in a Hallmark-esque setting. Readers of Henry's past books won't be disappointed.

Book Lovers is such a cute modern day love story designed thoughtfully with a "book lover" in mind. The whimsical writing, the sarcastic banter between the FMC and MMC, and the dreamy setting was wonderful!

I really loved People We Meet on Vacation, and I was hoping for a repeat experience. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would. I did not like the way Nora treated her sister. I loved Charlie and Henry, which is strange for me because I usually like the men the least in most books I read. That said, it wasn't a bad book, I think it just wasn't the book for me!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C88_abxt4YY/

Hier können sie die Rezension nachlesen. Kurzgefasst nicht das, was der Klappentext verspricht.
Stattdessen ein Klischeefeuerwerk.

Lord, this book came out 100 years ago and I forgot to review it. It's an Emily Henry book, literally what else needs to be said? Of course I loved it and recommend it all over the library.

Not my favorite Emily Henry I've read, but still a very very enjoyable read and that's saying something! Her most unenjoyable book is still a solid 4 stars from me. I like the plot of this book, it was simple and sweet and once again, just like every time, Emily Henry absolutely nails the characters. Theyre quirky and flawed and just right the mix of realism and fictional.

First of all, the allusions to so many books, series, and authors made my librarian heart so gleeful! But what I appreciated the most about this book is that it is an atypical romance. Emily Henry continues to keep us on our toes when it comes to her romances, and I love that!

Emily Henry has done it again!! Book Lovers is my new favorite. You always know Emily Henry will write something you love, but I'm not sure she can top Book Lovers. Nora and Charlie's chemistry is.... WOW. Throw in books and editing splash in some steam, I didn't stand a chance.

I loved it!!

I enjoyed this one. The characters, small town setting, and the bookish elements. Def worth a read but ultimately not my absolute fav EmHen — that will always be Beach Read!🩷

Are you kidding me Emily? I love this book more than Beach Read. I cried multiple times during the reading of this book and I am not ashamed to admit that. Nora is perfect in her imperfections and Charlie is such a sweetheart even though he can be such an ass. I love the way Henry makes us love the characters despite their faults, or maybe even because of them. Libby is such a good sister and her dynamic with Nora is so heart-warming, it made me want to hug my sisters after every interaction of theirs. Obsessed.

“Sometimes, even when you start with the last page and you think you know everything, a book finds a way to surprise you.”

this book was so cute and so relatable with all the book references to any book lover. it’s a perfect romcom. Charlie and Nora’s banter was so on point and they were both hilarious. I loved their relationship build-up and growth. It was so cute how he would purposely make her laugh and would say all the right things. SWOON. Charlie was perfect.

I do feel like the romance took a little bit of a back seat when it came to Nora and her sister, Libby, but I did not mind. I loved their sister bond and that Nora would do anything for her. I am the oldest sibling, so I could relate to that.

the ending was really cute and it made me love it more.

this book has:
-enemies to friends to lovers
-small town romance
-work place
-vacation bucket list
-sister dynamic
-skinny dipping 👀

5⭐️

Book Lovers by Emily Henry is a delightful and insightful novel that is a perfect fit for readers who adore lighthearted, emotional, and humorous stories about sisters, small-town charm, and enemies-to-lovers romances, with a dash of wit and a strong female protagonist who is ready to rewrite her own story.

I really loved the first half of this book. I loved the banter between Charlie and Nora. I was completely falling in love with Charlie. My favorite character in the book actually. Three quarters of the way through I was getting just a tad bored and frustrated with Nora. For some reason she was beginning to annoy me. Unfortunately, considering she is the MFC, I didn’t warm to her. I liked her sister so much better than Nora. I liked how the book ended and I still loved Charlie throughout. If it wasn’t for him and the overall story this would be a three star, simply because Nora kind of dragged things down for me.