Emily Henry continues to be one of my favorite contemporary romance writers. I love the depth that her stories have—there’s so much more to them than the romance plot. Fantastic dialogue, just the right amount of steam, and enough emotion and uncertainty to keep you hooked from page one. Book Lovers is a great addition to any romance lover’s collection, and I know it’ll be a super popular beach read this summer. I can’t wait to keep reading her work!

Emily Henry has outdone herself with her latest novel Book Lovers. I have read all of her books thus far and I must say, this one is my favorite. Her writing has grown over her career and this one captivated me the most. Enemies to lovers is always a great trope, but Henry went above and beyond with this slow burn. I particularly loved the dynamics of the sisters Nora and Libby. Nora is willing to d0 anything for her sister, including spending a summer trip to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. Although it requires her to take time away from the cutthroat publishing world she has made herself the queen of, Nora agrees to take the break. While the town in nothing like she and Libby expected, the town still has its own surprises to offer; including the reoccurring appearing of Charlie Lastra. Enigmatic and brooding, Charlie Lastra makes you wonder, why is he so standoffish? Book Lovers goes beyond a romance and delves into the importance of relationships and how much nurturing they can require. Familial love can be complicated and the bonds that tie can sometimes be stifling. The way Henry explores these dynamics keeps the reader turning the pages to better understand these complex characters. Henry also tackles the love/hate relationship with publishing and the book biz. I highly recommend Book Lovers! A huge thank you to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the advanced copy!

If you follow any bookstagrammers on Instagram, you’ve no doubt seen this book everywhere. And I’m here to tell you that this hyped book is completely deserving of the fanfare!

Emily Henry wrote some of the most bizarrely amazing Young Adult books I’ve ever read. They were so unique in plot, that I can’t believe they didn’t get more attention! She broke into the fiction/womens fiction/ romance genre a few years ago and has amassed quite the following! (Beach Reads and People We Meet on Vacation are her other popular books).

Should we get into this one? Let’s do it. First of all there are a lot of hallmark references. So obviously that got me from the get go. The banter between all of the characters were amazing! The heroine is tall, feisty, great at her job, and a good sister. The hero is kind, funny, patient, and also good at his job.

At no point was I not rooting for them! Neither character bugged me… doesn’t that seem rare in books these days? Hahah

The truth of the matter is that I haven’t been reading much this year. My days of a book every two days is not my life of 2022. So for me to even finish a book right now is kind of a big deal. If you’re a reader of a few books a year, this book is one that you’ll want to read! And if you read a ton of books a year… put this into your rotation ASAP!

I can’t wait to read more of Henry’s books. I’m officially a fangirl!


5 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 steam level

I really enjoyed this book. It is a light, summer read that reminds me of a Hallmark movie. I really liked the characters and fell in love with the quirky town. I'm ready for the sequel!

Book Lovers was a beautifully written book about love, sisterhood, grief, and allowing yourself to feel again. I appreciated the combination of Nora's relationship with her sister as well as the story of Nora and Charlie falling in love. The slow-burn really worked in this context since it was clear that each of them had their own struggles that they needed to deal with before their relationship could work. The three main characters: Nora, Charlie, and Libby were all well-rounded, imperfect, and real. I loved seeing the relationship between Nora and Libby change to less of a parent-child dynamic and more to a sisterly one. The ending got me, I worried that I had not known it was going to be a more realisitic ending rather than one that fulfills all the needs of a summer romance book, but then it made it all worth it in the end! Any fan of Henry's previous books will be thrilled to read this one and I look forward to her next title.

The most delicious and delightful romance I've read in eons. Five stars - more if the scale allowed for it.

I am in the minority, but this fell super flat for me. I found Libby needed a massive re-write, as she was super emotionally stunted, and the use of "sissy" was beyond excessive. The saving grace was Charlie and it felt like he was the captain of the Titanic.

"Book Lovers" is the perfect enemies to lovers, rom-com inspired romance for bookish types. Likable and relatable characters, an awareness and subversion of romantic tropes, and a little town called Sunshine Falls make this novel one that's impossible to put down.

Ummm this was utterly delightful! Asheville is one of my fav cities, so I really enjoyed the setting of this one and could so vividly visualize the fictional Sunshine Falls & Goode Books. Highly recommend!

The good lord knows I tried to love this book, but I was sooooooooooo bored! Nora was not a character that I connected with and found it very hard to root for her. This did not feel like a romance novel, but more like women’s fiction. There was ZERO bangxiety, like these are adults that can’t communicate or have fun. Being in my 30's, have gone through a divorce and falling in love again, it is very hard to love a story with so much miscommunication. This makes the characters seem immature and not ready to love someone without loving themselves first. I found these same issues while reading People We Meet on Vacation and it is why I did not like it. However, Beach Read was amazing and I hope the author goes back to her roots.

I enjoyed this romance about two people in the book industry but didn’t love it. Henry has a keen way of writing dramatic rom coms - there is always hope, but there is also commentary on trauma. While overall I enjoyed the story, the turning the “trope” on its head vibes felt a little too unrealistic to me. While it’s tongue-in-cheek that our MC is supposed to have been dumped by exes in a Hallmark-like way, it didn’t quite work for me. Still enjoyed.

Well I am in the hit camp for this one! I loved the backdrop of New York City and the small town quirkiness of Sunshine Falls.

I loved all the talk of books, bookstores, libraries, and how the characters were impacted by what they read growing up.

On the "lovers" side of things I enjoyed the banter between Nora and Charlie and thought there futile attempts to stay away from each other was endearing.

This story worked for me all around and I would definitely recommend it to rom-com fans.

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for the advanced reader ebook.

Book Lovers was my first Emily Henry book, and it definitely won't be my last! I loved everything about this book from the characters, to the setting, to how it identifies and makes fun of tropes (while still embracing the enemies to lovers trope). This book was a wonderful mix of small town romance, big city characters, and the relationship between sisters. I read this book while traveling and it was a perfect travel read. As a librarian, I loved the play on the literary world, bookstores, and that all of the main characters had a love for reading and books (in addition to the small town romance). I loved the ending and the ambiguity of the final scene that wrapped everything up nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between Nora and Charlie (is there actually bigfoot erotica? because it sounds hilarious). I can't wait to read more by Emily Henry! Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVE THIS BOOK.

I loved the characters. I love how the author wrote this book. I truly don’t have the words to describe just hoe incredible the writing and the plot was. This is the kind of book you want to reread right after you finish it.

While I am a huge Emily Henry fan, this book was not one of my favorites. It follows Nora, a literary agent, who goes to the setting of one of her author's bestselling books for a vacation with her sister--and runs into an editor she hates. Nora and Charlie have great chemistry throughout, and their story is charming and fun.

My main issue with the book is that a lot of the characters are very codependent with the people around them, and that is never resolved by the end of the book. Nora is constantly trying to solve her sister's problems by lying and hiding, as well as excessively putting her sister first. While this is all well-intentioned, Nora is actually taking away her sister's autonomy. Charlie acts the same way with his parents. He is willing to give up everything good in his life because his parents need someone to run their bookshop, which seems a bit outlandish and unhealthy.

I will still read more of Henry's books because I enjoy her character work and writing, but this one just wasn't for me.

Nora Stevens is a cutthroat literary agent who finds herself on a month long sisters trip to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina with her littler sister Libby. Nora has been given a bucket list of things she must complete while on vacation and of course, Nora will do anything for Libby. Nora is trying to complete the list that includes wearing a flannel shirt, going on a date with a cowboy and skinny-dipping, but Charlie Lastra, a moody editor from the city, keeps popping up. Events unfold and the strong-willed, Nora begins to see Charlie in a new light. Is this finally a chance for Nora to be the heroine of her own story? Only time will tell. Book Lovers is currently one of my top recommended books to our library patrons. It's one you won't want to put down. So pull up a comfy chair and your favorite cup of coffee (or tea) and settle in for a humorous romance that will keep you captivated from beginning to end.

Another great book by Emily Henry!

I really enjoy Emily Henry's writing style and stories and Book Lovers is no different! I started reading Book Lovers while on vacation and soaked up every minute of it. It's just such an enjoyable story with some great small town vibes and hallmark worthy romance.

The vibes in this book are just immaculate — the small town, the NYC bookstore love, and the friendship between the sisters are just *chefs kiss*. Emily Henry has just a perfect way of wrapping a cozy story together with swoonworthy romance and it always works. Always.

I can't wait to see what Emily Henry releases next! I just know I'm going to love it!!

I absolutely LOVED this book. The literary banter, references, and talk was the best. And it wasn't just between the love interests, but between the sisters, too.

Emily Henry gets better with each book she writes. She's for sure an auto-buy author for me.

This readerly enemies-to-lovers romance delights with small town charm, serious
Roy Kent energy, and banter galore. Successful literary agent Nora Stephens’s colleagues
call her the Shark, but Nora doesn’t care. She’s (mostly) at peace with who she is, plus she’s
proud of fighting for her clients—even if that same fierceness has always spelled disaster
for her love life. But Nora has one soft spot: her beloved baby sister Libby. When Libby
persuades her to take a sisters’ trip to the too-cute-to-be-real hamlet of Sunshine Falls,
Nora is gobsmacked to encounter her professional nemesis Charlie Lastra, a famously
grumpy and inconveniently handsome editor who despises Nora. Soon the sparks are
flying—and Nora has to keep reminding herself she hates his guts, lest she succumb to
their undeniable chemistry. A heartwarming, steamy, and sweary love letter to readers, and
a moving exploration of family, ambition, love, and belonging. Open door.

I am not a big romance reader, but enjoy the occasional one every now and then. I chose to read this title by Emily Henry since she has had so many hits lately. I could see why she is popular but her writing style is just not my cup of tea.