Who doesn't love a sappy TV romance? A big-city hero heads out to a small town to seal a business deal and ends up falling for the salt-of-the-earth heroine who teaches him to slow down. He breaks it off with his big-city girlfriend who—he realizes—doesn't know him at all. And so, the lovers kiss as the credits roll. BOOK LOVERS takes these tropes and refocuses the narrative.
Nora Stephens is a New Yorker. She loves the energy of the big city, power lunches, and expensive clothing. She loves the coziness of the city, too: like the hissing radiator in her apartment, or her favorite bookstore. Nora is a high-powered literary agent who fights tooth and nail for her clients (it's garnered her the nickname "The Shark"). In matters of love, Nora has been the big-city girlfriend who gets dumped. And like a shark, Nora just keeps swimming. Sharks can't exist any other way.
When her pregnant sister Libby begs her to take a vacation for some much-needed relaxation before Baby #3, Nora can't resist. She can never resist helping Libby. (Note: Henry has written some of the best writing about sisters I've ever read.) Nora finds herself in Sunshine Falls, North Carolina—the setting of one of her client's most famous books. Libby comes up with a checklist of small-town rites of passage for Nora to complete.
Plans become more complicated when Nora runs into Charlie Lastra, a no-nonsense New York book editor. This is Nora's luck: he's there, scowling away, judging her for doing the things that will make her sister happy.
Or is he?
Nora and Charlie are book people, and if anyone should knows not to judge books by their covers, it's them.
(Although they'd probably roll their eyes at this and say something about marketability / the importance of a great cover.)
Emily Henry has a knack for writing characters that I care about, immensely, long after the final page of their book. I knew that Nora and Charlie would be sticking with me.
BOOK LOVERS made me (happily) cry so hard that my eyes were swollen shut.
Thanks to Berkley & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC. BOOK LOVERS is out now!!

Emily Henry’s new novel Book Lovers follows Nora Stephens, a top notch literary agent in Manhattan. She’s great at what she does, has a take no prisoners attitude, and thus has earned herself a reputation as a shark in the industry. Nora also has a softer side though, when it comes to her younger sister, Libby. They lost their mom when they were young and so Nora has practically raised Libby. Even though Libby is a grown, married woman with baby number three on the way, Nora still deems herself Libby’s protector and the person who fixes things so that Libby is always happy and safe. So when Libby announces she and Nora are going to get away from New York for an adventure before the new baby arrives, of course Nora drops everything and follows Libby, to of all random places, Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, the tiny town that inspired one of Nora’s client’s most famous novels.

I really adored Nora and liked that we got to see both that tough, driven workaholic side of her personality as well as the softer, more vulnerable, yet ultra-protective side that comes out whenever she’s with her sister. You can just tell that Nora and Libby have been through a lot together and their close bond is very moving to witness. I also loved that as part of their trip to Sunshine Falls, Libby has created a “bucket list” of sorts for her and Nora to complete – wear flannel, date a local, go skinny dipping, etc. Libby’s list lends itself to many entertaining, often laugh out loud moments as it forces Nora way outside of her comfort zone.

Watching the sisters interact was definitely a highlight of Book Lovers for me, but that’s not to say the romantic element was any less satisfying. In fact, it was pretty spectacular, particularly if you’re into romance of the slow-burn variety with witty banter that moves from sharp and cutting to increasingly flirtatious the closer the characters become to one another. Even though Nora wasn’t a fan at first, I really loved Charlie Lastra from the first moment we meet him, mainly because he really gives Nora a run for her money in the shark department. He’s a broody editor type who is not impressed by Nora showing up late for their meeting and isn’t bashful about telling her this. The fireworks between them are immediate, and even though Nora swears she can’t stand the guy, she also can’t stop thinking about him. When he also shows up in Sunshine Falls unexpectedly and runs into Nora, the sparks just keep flying. I loved watching their relationship grow once they each get past their initial impressions of one another. It turns out that Charlie is actually from Sunshine Falls and is home dealing with some complicated family issues. Henry excels at writing realistic characters with messy lives, and both Nora and Charlie fit the bill. As the older sibling in my family, I could relate to many of the things each character was trying to work their way through. That said, I was also very much rooting for them to team up and face life’s challenges together.

I love Emily Henry’s books anyway, but Book Lovers truly felt like it was custom-made for me. I love New York and I love small town settings, and I get both with this book. I also adore book loving characters and the enemies-to-lovers romance trope, and again, I get both here. Lastly and perhaps the biggest draw of all, the sisterly bond between Nora and Libby, and all of the complicated family issues facing both Nora and Charlie. If you’re familiar with my blog and the types of books I tend to gush over, you already know that Book Lovers checked pretty much all the boxes for me. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it ultimately left me with a smile on my face. I think Emily Henry has another winner on her hands with Book Lovers.

Over all this book was a very fun, swoony read. I REALLY loved the character banter. I think the main character and love interest are hilarious with their rivals to lovers almost relationship. I enjoyed the small town setting and how everything about the setting related to the characters prior meeting. I truly enjoyed this book.

I really enjoyed People We Meet On Vacation and Beach Read, but this newest release by Emily Henry is her best yet. Her ability to make characters, who I have nothing I’m common with on the surface, into people I want to hang out with is impressive and the banter she writes makes me consider looking for the audio book to see if it sounds as amazing as it did in my head

Last summer, when I finished Emily Henry's second novel People We Meet on Vacation, I declared it was in my arbitrary Top 5 Favourites of All-Time. I don't have an actual list. I don't think I could name the four others that would round out the list, even! Yet, I had the feeling once finishing that I would go back to it, or always be recommending it to others to read. There was something about the characters, the emotions evoked, and just how everything panned out that got to me, and had me crying in parts, and feeling my heart squeeze many a time. And, here comes Emily Henry again with her third book, Book Lovers.

Truly, Emily Henry has gotten me yet again with the chemistry and dialogue, and moments that just pierce the heart for that big heart squish. This may be her funniest one, and I love it for so many different reasons from PWMOV. She has written this for the trope-loving romance reader, and still flipped this around for us to delight in. Nora and Charlie are a grumpy and grumpy duo who are thoroughly misunderstood, yet it works. I always forget that there's the trope of sunshine-grumpy, and having Nora also be a misunderstood grumpy? Who I sorta relate to (okay, not entirely, but big moments)? I'm here for it. I love a character who knows what they want, yet also does so much for the people they care for out of love and, well ... because they care.

You know that Friends line? From Phoebe: He's her lobster! My Ross/Rachel feelings aside, I do think Charlie really shows that there are people out there for you. Who will see you for you (yes, I know this is a piece of fiction)! It got me in my feels: wanting to belong in a place you desperately know is not where you shine, and wanting to love the people you love the way you know how. Yes, this is a romance novel: it is spicy! I found the tension and build up was the best part, and well worth the wait—you can see the sparks in the air, jumping off the pages. I am definitely the type of reader who "rates" a story on emotional impact, and character development (or representation). And, Book Lovers did this in spades for me. I didn't want the story to end! I wanted more and more. It may actually eke out PWMOV from its top spot of Henry's adult fiction books ... and maybe tied for its All-Time Top 5 spot.

Let's face it, I will read anything that Emily Henry writes. Her books are always one of my most anticipated books of the year. She will be forever be an auto-buy author for me. I had pre-ordered BOOK LOVERS but was so stoked to receive a widget of the book. BOOK LOVERS is a quintessential Emily Henry book in that the book revolves around books and is in written in Emily Henry's clever and witty style.

In this enemies-to-lovers novel, Nora Stephens is a cutthroat literary agent who represents a best-selling author named Dusty. She meets with an editor named Charlie Lastra in the hopes that he will edit Dusty's newest books. Grumpy Charlie is quick to bash Dusty's book and Nora vows never to talk to him again.

Fast forward two years, Nora's little sister, Libby, begs her to go on a sisters' trip and away they go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for a whole entire month. Sunshine Hills happens to be the setting for Dusty's most popular novel and somehow she finds herself bumping into the brooding editor she met years ago - Charlie Lastra. To Nora's surprise, she learns that Charlie is from this small-town and that's why he shot down Dusty's novel. As a literary agent, Nora is well versed in tropes and archetypes and soon finds herself living her own small-town romance story.

Emily Henry has done it again and wrote a fabulous book! The book is humorous and I absolutely love the witty banter between Nora and Charlie. I thought the small-town setting was so fun and brilliant. Despite Henry's books being more on the humorous side, there's always a tinge of seriousness in them. I found that BOOK LOVERS was the most serious book that Henry has written. The book was about Nora and Charlie's romance, but quite honestly, that storyline was secondary. The book was really about the relationship between sisters and defining what "home" means to a person. I would've loved more on Charlie as I loved him so much! But overall, Henry wrote another winner.

A huge thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Pub and Emily Henry for the complementary copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was first introduced to Emily Henry through Book of the Month, and while I really enjoyed the other two books of hers I read, I absolutely loved Book Lovers.
In this book, Emily shows that she knows how to write multidimensional characters that we still root for. Characters that feel real and emotional, complicated and confused. Like they could be our friends or maybe even us. Her writing is witty and funny. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Norah and Charlie and the relationship Norah shares with her sister Libby. 4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

LOVED - her best yet. Her other 2 were just "ok" for me but this is clearly her strongest book. It all worked for me - loved the banter, the slow-burn/simmering chemistry throughout - all of it. Would totally recommend to romance fans.

Thank you Libro.fm and Penguin Random House Audio for the complementary audio in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know what to say other than I absolutely adored this book. I wouldn't change a single think about it. Book Lovers is a story that is going to stay in my heart for a long time. As an older sister and someone who lost their mom to cancer at a young age, I felt so seen reading about Nora. Emily Henry always writes about tough subjects with such care and Book Lovers is no exception.

Charlie and Nora are my new comfort couple. They were imperfectly perfect. True soulmates. I want to be besties with Nora and Libby. I am Nora Stephens. Nora Stephens is me. WE ARE ONE. I'm impatiently waiting for Emily Henry's next novel.

Nora, a tough-as-nails literary agent who normally finds herself on the wrong side of the romantic storyline, travels to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina with her pregnant sister, Libby. Libby plans a small-town bucket list vacation, which takes a turn when Nora encounters her big-city rival, Charlie. What transpires is heartwarming, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny. I expect this to go down as one of my favorites of the year.

If you’re only going to read one contemporary romance book (or one book even) this year, let it be BOOK LOVERS by @emilyhenry

If you want to experience a masterclass in how to utilise classic romantic tropes in a modern and refreshing way, go check out BOOK LOVERS.

If you love books about books, pick up BOOK LOVERS. The way Emily Henry infused her love for literary classics like Wuthering Heights into this book had me

If romance is not your usual go-to genre, try BOOK LOVERS

I could go on.

The bottom line is: this book is brilliant and it deserves all the hype it’s getting. This gem is definitely going to end up in my top 5 of 2022, I think it is my favourite Emily Henry book yet and I adored TPWMOV and Beach Read.

Thank you @berkleypub @berkleyromance for gifting me with an early e-ARC for review

Book Lovers is utterly charming — whether or not you identify as one yourself. I read this novel in one day (almost in one sitting). The characters, the setting and the dialogue all sparkle, as is standard with Emily Henry's books, while the tongue-in-cheek nod to tropes keeps things from feeling too saccharine. This is my favorite book of hers yet, and I'm already looking forward to her next one.

Book Lovers
By Emily Henry

YOU
MUST
READ
THIS
BOOK

I could not put this book down! This book is INCREDIBLE! I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with Nora and Libby, & Nora and Charlie. I loved Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation - I mean I love everything Emily Henry writes but Book Lovers really topped them all.

Book Lovers is a story about family, grief, the bonds of sisterhood, and of course, love - love of books, love of publishing, and of course the Mecca, New York City.

It’s only May, but I think this is the 2022 best romance for me. Don’t wait too long to read this gorgeous book.

Emily Henry has done it again! I don't think there is any romance author out there that hits it out of the park with every book. The banter between Nora and Charlie is perfection. I love how witty the characters are. Nora and Libby's relationship is so heartwarming and gives depth to the story. Nora feels like all of us trying to make everything work and take care of everyone. It is so easy to fall into an Emily Henry book and I look forward to what else she has in store!

I really wanted to love this book, but I just liked it. I don’t know if it’s a case of the right book at the wrong time, or just not the most ideal book for me? The author’s previous book, People We Meet On Vacation, gave me all the happy, zingy feelings I was hoping to get in this book. Book Lovers is like a Hallmark movie with better dialog and more sex. Although, for being an open(ish) door romance novel, there just wasn’t enough romance. I can’t put my finger on exactly what I didn’t love about this book, it just felt unoriginal? Phoned in? All this to say, it was enjoyable, just forgettable.

emilyhenrywrites will never write I book that I don’t absolutely love, and I can say that with 100% certainty. This was easily one of my most anticipated books of the spring/ summer and I finished it in a day. The characters are so likable, and relatable, and funny and that’s what makes her books so perfect. What’s a book you’re waiting for this summer?! Have you read Book Lovers yet? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This did not disappoint! I don't know how she does it but Henry has a perfect and unique writing style that is simple, funny, insightful, relatable...all the things. I also personally related to the characters and as someone who is an older sister with a younger sister.

I loved Nora from the start. Even though she's described as a "shark" aka the mean city girl who the guy leaves in all the lifetime movies, I never felt like she was actually that harsh of a person. She has a good job, appreciates nice things, and cares so much for her sister and family. Sounds like my kind of person!

I also love the sister relationship and reading about where the sisters get along and just want to support each other. Going on a month-long trip to a quiet town with your sister takes a special bond.

Charlie...🥰. That's all.

Overall, I loved the characters, the writing, the ending, and everything in between. Henry will remain one of my favorite authors and I look forward to all her future books.

Does anyone NOT love Emily Henry? She has an incredible gift, undeniably, and we are all blessed by her largess. There is so much snarky joy in this book, mixed deeply (as joy is wont to do) with grief. So much good hearted mockery and tender self revelation. So many surprises and small cave ins of self deception. This book is a quiet love song to all the tiny things that make somewhere feel like home and make us feel like we have found our place. I absolutely loved it.

Emily Henry is an author I will always read, so I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of "Book Lovers." Her humorous and snappy style of writing did not disappoint. The sorta-enemies-to-lovers storyline set in a small town that also serves as a fictional setting for a book the characters are connected to is sweet. Maybe a little predictable with a Hallmark feel, but nevertheless still a feel good, laugh-out-loud, perfect read for travel or relaxation.

Boy, oh freaking boy did I love it!

Nora and Charlie were everything and more. From their banter to the way they wanted what was best for the other.

There was some spice, but mostly it was funny!