After reading People We Meet on Vacation last year, I knew I would read anything and everything by Emily Henry so Book Lovers was instantly on my TBR. And I’m happy about that decision.

In my opinion, Book Lovers is a good summer book; it’s funny, entertaining and filled with a great deal of banter between our rivals. Nora is a very relatable character (especially for an oldest child of 5 siblings like me 😅). And honestly there is yet to be an Emily Henry love interest I don’t become obsessed with 😍

My only issue was that romance didn’t come across as the focal point of the novel. It’s really not until the last 3rd where things pick up. I like the secondary cast of characters and the focus on personal development for the leads; I just want a little more of the swoon-y love story moments.

Overall, I’m glad I read it and I will read other Emily Henry books but this one just wasn’t my all time favorite.

My Rating of Emily Henry’s Adult Fiction:
1- People We Meet on Vacation
2- Book Lovers
3- Beach Read

Tropes: Rival to Lovers, small town romance

Nora Stephen's life is books, as a literary agent she gets to read a lot of them. Nora is there for everyone of her clients to the point of not really having a personal life. The only person Nora has time for is her sister Libby whom she raised after their mother tragically passed away. As the birth of Libby's 3rd baby draws near Nora feels disconnected from her sister and cannot figure out why so when Libby recommends a sister's get away for a month to a small town where their favourite book is set she agrees.

While scoping out the town she runs into the last person she would have thought would be in a small town. An editor named Charlie that had turned down the book based on the town they are in.

What follows is a cute back and forth between Nora and Charlie. they have a witty banter that makes the book enjoyable to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced readers copy.

Book Lovers

Nora is a literary agent living in New York City. When her sister Libby asks her to spend three weeks on a vacation in a small town, Nora obliges since she has always taken care of Libby and feels Libby needs her. Add in a Iove interest and Nora’s story becomes complicated. I enjoyed the way the story revolves around books and familiar tropes in romances. Recommended and thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A romance for book lovers! This sweet story, with complex, interesting and enticing characters, was a joy to read!

I gave it a good college try, I really did…but I think Henry is just not an author for me. Granted, I am not a romcom reader in general but I have seen this book being pitched as more of a contemporary fiction as opposed to romance, but I still found it too hokey and corny for my taste.

It will surprise absolutely no one when I say that I adored this book. It made me simultaneously miss the heck out of New York but also want to call up my sister, get on a plane to Small Town, USA™ and just lose myself for a weekend with nothing but my kindle and an empty stomach. Emily Henry just has such a knack for writing books that feel like they were written specifically *for me* and I truly have yet to be disappointed. While I don’t know that this is my favorite of her novels (I love them all so much that it’s honestly kind of pointless to try to play favorites aside from writing this review lol), I am confident that the ending of this book is not only my favorite of her endings, but possibly one of my favorites book endings of all time? I read the last 50 pages twice and cried just as hard at the ending both times. I couldn't have dreamed up a better conclusion if I tried. Oh, also, Charlie is an absolute dream boat and I love love loved both him and Nora. Emily Henry just has *such* a gift and I am so excited to spend the rest of my life reading her stories. Happy, happy sigh

CW: death of a parent, minor pregnancy complications

I just loved Nora and Charlie so much. Probably from the very beginning I was obsessed with them. I was just a huge sucker for their banter. Just, A+ banter. I love the way Charlie so clearly sees Nora, everyone sees parts of her, but he kind of gets to the bottom of who she is as a whole right away. I loved watching their relationship develop. I will say, I was not a fan of Nora's sister. She kinda gets better in the end, but I spent so much of this book mad at her, that I'm not sure the end made up for it. The solution to Nora and Charlie's problem was a tiny bit obvious once you were aware of how all the pieces fit, but, I was still really happy for them when they figured it out. I love when a book gives me something that I had already predicted, but still makes me happy to see it happen.

The narration was of course amazing. Julia Whelan can do no wrong in my eyes. She just captures Nora and Charlie's voice so incredibly well.

This book was made for older sisters and sisters in general everywhere. I adored this book and I can’t wait to pick up another book by Emily Henry.

Maybe 4.5 stars, but a delightfully fun book by Emily Henry. I liked Beach Read but I did like this one a bit better. Her banter between characters makes the books fun, and makes you wish you knew them… they just seem like interesting people to be around. Lots of trope conversation, since of course, it is an enemies to lovers trope!

Nora Stephens (doesn’t the name sound like a book agent?) is known for being a shark of an agent, and a somewhat lonely one at that. None of her relationships work, and the guys always find someone more genuine and perfect.

One of her favorite authors has a new book, which is immediately rejected by a harsh editor, who is not impressed with the location of it, Sunshine Falls, NC.

Never knowing her dad, when her mom died, she took responsibility of her younger sister, and now that includes her nieces, as well. Her pregnant sister needs some time away, and selects the location from her recent hit book, as the getaway location. But guess who she finds in the small town, about to be a movie from her book?

Book banter between the editor and agent makes it a super fun read for all Book Lovers!

I love how she describes becoming an agent. Growing up, she lived above a bookstore, which had “shelf-talkers cards for us to fill out…Book Lovers Recommend, they said - that’s what she called us, her little book lovers. So I started to think about books more critically… I got super stingy with my recommendations… and then I started just changing things I read; fixing endings if Libby (her sister) didn’t like how they played out, or if all the main characters were boys, I’d add a girl with strawberry blond hair.” P156

Another “universal truth” Austen could’ve started Price and Prejudice with: When you tell yourself not to think about something, it will be all that you can think about. P182

“Libby was wrong when she told Sally I am just like Mom. Mom worked nonstop to chase something she wanted. For me, it’s running endlessly trying to escape the past.” P253

“There are full series I love whose last chapter I’ve never read. I hate the feeling of something ending.” P271

“This must be how people feel when their water breaks. Like they’ve been carrying a new future around inside themself and suddenly it’s gushing out, ready or not.” P275

If you enjoy books by Melissa Ferguson, Ashley Winstead or Julie Murphy, you will love the newest novel by Emily Henry, the author of Beach Reads and People We Meet on Vacation. A funny and heartwarming story of Nora, a literary agent from New York City who loves her job, her sister and her fast paced, no-nonsense lifestyle.

When Nora decides to accept her sister’s invitation to spend a month in the small town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, she hopes to use the time to reconnect with her little sister. She is surprised to find her literary enemy, Charlie at the local bookstore. Charlie, a native of Sunshine Falls has reluctantly returned to help his family. What develops is a classic enemy to lover troupe with depth. Nora self-discovery, the family background and sister’s relationship all add up to an engaging, witty and uplifting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this book.

Although this book is full of tropes and the reader can kind of guess the ending right from the beginning, but what what makes this book fun and definitely a must read is the conversations between Nora and Charlie. It is so crisp and to the point that it can be imagined that it is Tracey and Hepburn exchanging quips instead of these imaginary characters. (I'm sure it was not a coincidence that the two sisters and their mother used to share Hepburn movie night.) Instead of the country heroine going to the big city, it was the city girls in the country and the descriptions not only brought a smile, but oftentimes a BIG laugh! This was a one day read and I wasn't ready for it to end.

Thank you for the free ebook Penguin Random House

This is my first book by Emily Henry. I always say that romance books are not for me but sometimes I find something particular that catch my attention, I’m not a big fan of insta love or some sort of love that is born from nowhere. And I must admit that what I liked about this book first was the title, but I have enjoyed it so much.

Both main characters have a lot to deal with in their lives, so that could be considered as a “non-ideal”, Nora is definitely a successful woman that many times will put her personal life aside because of her job, she is strong and sometimes she doesn’t have time for feelings and that can be seen as cold, but she isn’t cold. I love Charlie, he is dealing with his own problems, but I love how he perceives Nora, how he admires her.

The author has given us a believable book I wish there would be more couples like Nora and Charlie.

Book Lovers was another 5 star read by the fabulous Emily Henry!! I think her books just keep getting better and better- which seems impossible. The writing is flawless and the story is so heartwarming. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

On the surface, it is easy to be endeared to hardworking, anxious Nora Stephens, but it is how she navigates her professional life and her relationship with her sister that gives her depth. Charlie as the romantic lead is just the icing on the cake. Their will-they-won't-they tension makes this heartfelt story centered around rom-com tropes, like a small town, a hot cowboy, and a workaholic, a page turner.

I honestly loved this. I don't think Emily Henry can do any wrong. I loved that this was a fun romantic comedy but they were adults about everything! Something bothering one of them? Talk about it. No miscommunication trope which was so refreshing

I just love Emily Henry - her banter & characters are the perfect balance of quirky, real, interesting & authentic. They come to life and are unforgettable.

If you’re a “book lover” this actually is the book for you. I have probably 30 quotes saved that resonated with me so much as a reader and lover of words.

There’s so much that can be said for this one but I don’t really have the right words other than: READ IT!!

Book Lovers is a hysterical take on the familiar trope that romance novels usually have whenever the main character takes a vacation to a small town and magically finds their true love living there and leaves their city life and their comfortable city partner for them. Nora is the comfortable city partner who is happy living in the busy city where no one knows your name and life is always moving and never boring. Nora has had a few of her boyfriends leave her in very trope like ways that involved meeting a woman in a small town setting and falling in love. She’s a literary agent and when she’s on her way to meet with an editor who is known for being focused and no nonsense just like her, when she’s dumped by her current boyfriend who has found love in you guessed it a small town that he was only supposed to be there for a brief job. She and Charlie, the editor, immediately lock horns as they scathingly go back and forth in a biting and comical conversation about her being late and the book she wants him to edit. She doesn’t expect to see him again but her sister sets up a vacation for the two of them to visit the place where one of Nora’s author’s books we’re set in and there he is working in the local bookstore that his family owns.

I have read so many of those romance novels and I love them but this was so unique with the main character being the trope’s usual main character’s uptight and career driven partner back in the city and I absolutely love seeing her point of view. I love books about books and this is certainly one of those where there are references to famous books and bookstores. I enjoyed reading about the literary world of agents and editors and about characters who are as obsessed about books as I am. I love that Nora owns the title of the city girl who loves the museums, coffees shops and busy atmosphere of the city as well as the fancy shoes and focused way she is always available for a job that she’s amazing at. My favorite part of this book was the insane chemistry between Nora and Charlie because their dialog had me snickering and trying to hold back laughter whenever they’re together.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the digital copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book but it wasn't as good as I was expecting - I would still recommend it though. It had some amazing bookish quotes that I loved & I thought that Charlie and Nora were very cute together! One of my main complaints is that I was frustrated that the love interests kept on seemingly getting together and then deciding that they shouldn't (almost like a slow burn or a will they/ won't they trope). Also, the setting (as well as the sisters' vacation do to list) was too mundane for my tastes and the ending was a tad predictable.

I'd like to start off by saying a big thank you to Netgalley and Emily Henry for an arc of Book Lovers. I've never had the pleasure of reading anything by Emily Henry, but now that I have, all I can think is "whyyyy have I not read something sooner??" This book is everything. It's quirky and funny. And it hits you in all the feels. I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry at least once while reading this book. Our main girl, Nora, reminds me a lot of myself. Always being the one to care for everyone else and giving up on her own dreams for the ones she loves. And Charlie has my whole heart. He is utterly perfect, and no one can change my mind otherwise. Thank you again for the opportunity to read this arc!!

Emily Henry did it again. I will read anything she writes at this point! She is THAT amazing. I loved the characters but I loved the fact that books were incorporated into the story! As a “book lover” myself I loved the idea of editors, agents and small town bookstores being included. I loved the sinking relationship dynamic. I loved the love story and did not expect to be so invested into these lives. I cried… no. I sobbed twice. I was so sad to see the story end and wanted to immediately go back and start at the beginning to experience it all again. I would love a sequel!!! I’m not ready to say goodbye to this world just yet.