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!!

Nora Stephens' is the enemy in every rom com. She's the career focused, analytical, city loving girl that always seems to get dumped when her boyfriend visits a small town and falls in love with a quirky ray of sunshine.
Her work enemy is Charlie, a similar minded, grumpy, serious editor. Despite their multiple run ins they both know this is not a love story for the books.
Until Nora's bubbly pregnant sister Libby decides what these sisters need is a month in a small town. Maybe Nora's love story will be waiting for her in the same places she's sworn are out to get her.
This book is everything. Emily Henry has done it again and I have no doubts everything she writes will turn to gold.
The writing, the characters, the BANTER. Oh dear god the banter is so good.

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.

Obviously, this is an amazing book. Emily Henry is a masterful storyteller and I've loved everything she's written. Her characters are real and gritty and your heart may be torn out while reading but she always puts it back together. I loved it and this is definitely going on my reread list.

Nora is a book agent and the stereotypical cold career woman. Her relationships always seem to fail because her partners leave her for a small town woman. She's not entirely happy but she's comfortable and that's exactly fine for her. Her sister begs her to take a month off during the slow season to reconnect and take a break. They make a list of things to do like date a local and save a local business.

While in town, she runs into a work colleague that she's never jived with. Charlie is an amazing book editor with no bedside manner and lives in this small town. He's there for family obligations and starts working on a project with Nora. The close proximity builds the tension beautifully so that when it breaks it's such a relief.

Through all of this self discovery and reconnecting, Nora and her sister must face a hard truth. It's time for them to move in their own direction and my heart hurt for them. This is a lovely book with the perfect mix of humor, angst, love, and self discovery. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Emily Henry has flipped the small town romance on it’s head and instead of focusing on the corporate big city career dude falling for a midwestern Christmas tree farmer or whatever, this story is about the corporate big city career woman who always gets LEFT by that Hallmark career guy for the basket weaver or baker or Mrs. Claus, etc etc etc. And y’all it’s 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 ⁣
⁣
It has absolutely everything: a fabulous workplace romance, publishing, small town vibes in Western NC (if you love Schitt’s Creek and/or Gilmore Girls, get pumped!), a great sister relationship as the crux of the story, hilariously named small businesses, a BOOKSTORE - it’s just perfect. I loved it. I never wanted it to end.

This isn't so much a Romance book as it is a book about love. Sure, there's the tried-and-true Emily Henry banter, flirting, and steamy scenes, but more importantly, this was a story about sisterhood, about finding belonging, and about learning how to choose yourself in life's chaos. This checked all the boxes for me and just solidified that I'm an Emily Henry stan through and through.

This is the anti-Hallmark of love stories and I thought it was great! I loved the intelligence and the wit of the main characters. Witty, romantic, and sweet without being sappy.

This utterly enjoyable contemporary romance hit ALL the right sweet spots and then some. Turning common tropes on its head? Check. Realistic characters with character development? Check. I started this book and then just... never stopped until I finished.

Will anyone read this book and NOT be in love with Charlie?!

It's a little slow burn-y, but not completely. The ending left me wanting more but was also completely satisfying - if that even makes sense!

I love love LOVED this fun read. Highly recommend. Ultimate book lover escapism.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and all thoughts are my own.

Another gem from Emily Henry! I love the twist on the small town love story - it doesn't play out how you think it will. Every character, from Nora's sister to the people in the town, were so engaging and you cared about them all. Perfect beach read to recommend to everyone!

I was hooked on "Book Lovers" from the very first chapter. Nora's self-identification as the 'ice queen' ex-girlfriend from every romance movie/book and her disinterest in changing that perception was a refreshing change from many romance protagonists, and I loved that there was equal focus on both her relationship with Charlie (the grumpy, cold editor from work) and Libby (her sister who is keeping secrets). Enemies to lovers, when done this way (i.e. there is a reasonable misinterpretation of motive and/or behaviour, and both parties are actually wonderful when you get to know them), is one of my favourite tropes, and the steam was well-written and made sense for the characters. This book lives up to the hype!