Charlie and Nora were just a wonderful pair to spend time with. The way each loose end was tied up into their perfect happy ending was just so lovely and satisfying. Absolutely dreamy.

I LOVED this. I think People You Meet On Vacation was technically better, but this one is emotional and it cuts deep and the love story is just so good. It’s the opposite of opposites attract—sames attract! Sames who have always been left for their opposites. Big “I like you just the way you are” energy. Nora is a big time literary agent and she finds herself vacationing in a small town with her sister Libby (same small town where her client’s last romantic bestseller took place), and she runs into the hot editor, Charlie, who had once turned down her client’s book. When he and Nora end up teaming up together to help her client with her new book, they realize that they are perfect for each other. Family heartaches present trouble for their romance, but Nora stumbles through a new phase in her close relationship with her sister while Charlie tries to be there for his family in a town that’s always made him feel like an outsider. Of COURSE there’s an HEA, even when it feels like there might not be!

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING. How does Emily Henry do it? Her characters jump off the pages -- I want to read 10 more books about these characters and I usually only want standalones. The romance arc is literal perfection. The pacing is perfect and the love/hate of it all is exactly what I wanted. And the banter, THE BANTER! I LOL'd throughout the entire book, and I don't usually laugh out loud while reading. Charlie and Nora are OTP, and the last page of the book gave me shivers. Now excuse me while I go back to page one so I can reread this masterpiece.

Wow. Emily Henry never disappoints! This book was so amazing. I automatically fell in love with Nora and Charlie. I absolutely loved the banter and flirting between the characters. The whole time I was reading this book I was stuck between wanting to finish it, because it was so good, and wanting to take my time, so it would never end. I wasn't ready to say bye to Nora and Charlie! I ended up finishing it in 24 hours! I would highly recommend this book and anything else written by Emily Henry! She is an amazing author. 10/10!

I think the one thing I hated about this book was finishing it and having nothing more to look forward to. Seriously, I saw the word epilogue and almost cried because I realized I moved too quick and didn't get to make this last as long as I wanted it to.

Emily Henry's books are just a balm that soothes every part of my existence somehow. I read her books and I am just incredibly happy and calm but also hysterical... in a calm way.

I refuse to talk about what this book was about because I think that everyone should just enjoy a romance book without knowing anything about it every once in a while. I loved having absolutely NO clue what to expect and who to expect it from. I didn't get past the book title and cover before I was adding this to my TBR and requesting the ARC.

I think this definitely was closer to Beach Read territory as far as where this would lie between her previous two books but honestly, all of her books have been knockouts and I will love and cherish and protect them all. There were parts of Nora that I connected with on such a deep level that I wanted things for her just as much as I want them for me. Nora has been taking care of her world but who in her world is taking care of her? I just wanted her to be wrapped up in a heated, weighted blanket with someone she loves and away from anything that could hurt her.

CHARLIEEEEE!!! Charlie was so prickly for like thirty seconds and then he becomes the softest, most comforting presence in a book that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Seriously, he was perfect. I wouldn't change anything about him. I think Emily Henry finds the perfect balance in her couples that they just fall together so gracefully. Like they float into their intended place. I wouldn't change a thing.

Libby and Nora's relationship felt like it was equally in the spotlight as Nora and Charlie's budding relationship. Libby and Nora are each other's soulmates, no matter what. So the sister story in this felt really special but also held such value to Nora's character as her own, individual person. Nora had truly been taking care of people her entire life, so watching this relationship in front of our very eyes really put the responsibility she took on into perspective. Libby seems clueless the whole time but she really wasn't. I'll be honest, I definitely saw parts of the ending coming but I still would not change a thing. I just let my mind jump ahead by accident.

I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone just because I think Emily deserves it but also because this book deserves it. The writing was beautiful as it usually is - I never wanted to put it down! Henry writes with such ease it feels like, there never feels like there was an ounce of struggle of getting the words out onto the page. I am so happy that I stumbled across Beach Read and that launched me into a direct love of Emily's work. I will never stray.

Take a drink every time Charlie says, "fucking".

But in all seriousness, this is Emily Henry's best book yet. I loved the verbal back and forth between Charlie and Nora, they played very well off of one another and the chemistry was palpable all throughout. I also love that this book is so self aware in that it plays up the tropes of typical love stories, but it WORKS like a go-to recipe, a tale as old as time: going from the large city to the small town, the complications that come with family, trauma and its nasty aftermath, and trying to find what's truly important, compromise between partners, and being true to ones self. A standing ovation from me, I cannot wait to get my hands on a hardcopy so it can sit beside its siblings on my shelf.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Emily Henry does it again! She creates the most likeable characters with the wittiest banter. The romance is sizzling and the storyline moves at a quick pace.

As the title suggests, this is a novel truly meant for book lovers. Nora's love of libraries, bookstores, reading, writing, and anything to do with words and stories will speak to bookworms everywhere. Henry's characters are relatable, lovable, and clever. Her ability to both poke fun at literary tropes while also weaving an expert story that employs many of those same tropes is phenomenal. In this novel, Nora writes that some books you don't so much read as much as you live them--active rather than passive. This book was certainly one that I lived. I cannot recommend Henry's writings enough, and Book Lovers may be her best one yet.

Book Lovers solidified Emily Henry as one of my favorite authors. I didn't think it would be possible to overshadow Beach Read, and yet here we are. There's so much to love about this book - the humor, the realism, the chemistry, the many brilliantly placed literary, pop culture, and NYC references... and omg The Banter. I found myself cackling at times, tearing up at others, and swooning non-stop. This is a love letter to tropes, small towns, large cities, family, grief, romance books, trauma, and finding our place in the world. The importance of choosing one's self. Emily Henry always nails realistic dilemmas. They never feel contrived. Book Lovers is no exception.

Long story short, this is a top read of the year for me, and I can't wait for it's release so I can force every one of my book-loving friends to pick up a copy. Thank you, Emily Henry and your nightmare brain.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this early :)

This was my favorite book by Emily Henry so far. I feel that each of her books is better than her last, and I’m so excited to see what she does next. I really loved Nora and Libby as characters and I was really compelled by their journeys, and loved their backstories as well. I especially loved the literary references dropped throughout the book and actually wish there were more. Overall, this was a really enjoyable read and I think any fan of Henry’s books will love it!

I think it's hard for me to imagine picking up an Emily Henry book and not enjoying it. I find her romances so comforting. Something I have always appreciated is her ability to blend in serious elements into her story. As someone who has gone through a lot of loss and been a caretaker for a long time, it really helps me feel like the stories she writes could be my stories, too. Sort of an alternate universe where the things I wish had happened for me could be possible and true for other people. I guess that's what any good book/escapism can capture.

With Book Lovers, Henry goes back to her bibliophile roots--much like where she started with Beach Read--and gives a story full of people who whose love for literature and stories are infused in every page. Which, of course, if you're a reader, you'll love. Nora is a book agent who has always seen herself as the trope of the frigid, work-obsessed ex who the main character leaves in every romance for the small-town heroine. I was nervous at first that this would turn into a "what is the right kind of woman" narrative but I think the commentary Emily draws out through Nora was a good one, and didn't pit women against each other. Rather, highlights how cishet gender norms and expectations impact you no matter what kind of archetype of "woman" you are, and I never felt like Nora disparaged other women. I appreciated a narrative that discussed how pursuing your passion doesn't mean negating love, etc. I think it could have gone further, but I was happy with what I got.

Where this book really shone for me was the chemistry between the two main characters. Their banter was so funny and sweet and I was often laughing out loud or grinning. I could FEEL the chemistry between these two. I could really tell that they saw each other and understood each other-- and really just enjoyed being around each other. I also think there was some really good communication in this book. I know that a common frustrating trope in cishet romances is miscommunication, and while I feel like that's unavoidable in the narrative structure/tropes of the romance genre, this one wasn't too major and I thought it was handled pretty well. I don't think I'll be over the line "Please don't apologize for letting me know you."

I think this is another hit from Henry, and I would expect nothing less. It has all the blend of charm, wit, and sincerity that I've come to expect from her. Overall, a comfort and a joy to read.

The only thing that really sticks out to me, and this is entirely from personal experience, is being someone who cares for someone who has been through a severe stroke... I don't think Clint would be so good at language if he had a stroke that put him in a coma for 6 days. I also think he would have more major permanent physical disabilities. I know this isn't true for everyone and people can recover to different levels, but based on my personal experience that is a lot of brain damage and I think that could have been portrayed more accurately. I know that this is not a MAIN facet of the story per se, but based on my personal experience I can't help but notice and be critical of that.

emily henry will never not be perfect. she outdoes herself every time. there’s just something about her characters … a realness? who knows, but it’s working.

#netgalley

Oh gosh. Am I crying right now? Oh foof. This book. This was SO good! One of the best books I've read in a long time. My heart is so full. Spectacular.

It's going to take my heart a while to recover from this one! I already can't wait to reread it. Emily Henry nails it again - I couldn't put Book Lovers down. I found it so well balanced and paced. The mix of humor and heart was perfect as was Charlie and Nora's banter and spice. It absolutely gave me all of the feels, swoons, and squeals. I also really appreciated that Nora grew but didn't change her core self. I loved that she was a shark and that Charlie loved that too. Can't wait to aggressively recommend this book to everyone I know.

Utter perfection!

Anybody who knows me knows that I am the biggest fan of Emily Henry's writing. I spent all summer hand selling her last book "People We Meet on Vacation" while working in Indigo, even going so far as to claim it as "my staff pick". To receive an ARC of this book felt like the book gods (Berkley) were smiling down on me and rewarding me for singing praises for Henry's work during my Indigo career. Like every one of her books, Henry draws you in with a seemingly simple premise. At face value, this is a book about a literary agent, Nora, and her sister, Libby, spending the tail end of summer in a small town, which so happens to be the featured location of Nora's client's best-selling novel. The sisters come up with a list of things they need to complete by the end of the summer and one item on the list is to be romanced by someone from said town. However, what Nora doesn't expect is that the romance she is seeking in Sunshine Falls might be from a rival literary agent, she hates back in NYC, who by chance is also spending the summer in this town. On a deeper scope, this book is an ode to those who put their happiness on the back burner to watch their loved ones succeed. It pays homage to those who struggle with the insecurity of things not being perfect, and those whose anxiety stems from being the one who is relied upon when things fall apart. Nora isn't the perfect character, but her flaws are human. I saw a lot of myself in Nora, and at times it felt like Henry was recalling my own feelings and anxieties in Nora's story. The premise and romance itself is an ode to all our favourite cliche romance tropes, but it's imbued with a uniqueness that makes the story stand out from the tropes it takes inspiration from. The book is highly addictive, and while you kind of know how the story ends, you still want to make sure that your characters and their hearts are safe. In true Henry fashion, this book is so much more than a romance book and I hope readers recognize it for what it is, good fiction, filled with character, thoughtfulness, fun, care and most importantly heart.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

I was so psyched when I got approved for this eARC that I actually did a happy dance in IKEA. I have loved all of Emily Henry's previous books and I loved this one too. Book Lovers was actually a lot different than I expected. I went into this only knowing that it involved an uptight literary agent, her semi-rival editor, and that it was it. The actual story is a twist on the typical Hallmark movie "big city girl goes to small town and falls in love with local farmer/baker, etc. so she breaks up with current big city significant other then moves to small town to start a new life" where our main character, Nora, is the big city SO who got dumped. She ends up in a small town with her sister who is determined that they will live out their best Hallmark movie lives while they are on vacation. Of course, the rival editor happens to be in that small town as well and sparks fly!
I loved the romance in this. Emily Henry wrote such a good teasing will-they-won't-they without overdoing any tired tropes like miscommunication or having the characters be too dramatic about it. As usual, there are a lot of deeper themes throughout the book. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Nora and her sister (though I didn't love how Libby called Nora "Sissy" all of the time) and it was really touching exploring the reconfiguration of their relationship.
There's also a small-town bookshop in this and I loved that so much.
I was definitely teary-eyed near the end of the novel.
I can't wait to get my physical copy and May so I can reread it and mark all of my favourite parts!

Emily Henry hits her stride with Book Lovers, a contemporary romance set in the world of the New York City publishing industry. I thought Beach Read was fine, and though it dealt with some of the same topics as Book Lovers (playing with literary tropes and personalities), it didn't feel particularly memorable.

Book Lovers was much more successful for me, from the character development to the plot progression. The writing, and especially the dialogue, felt real and never forced. I loved the banter between the two leads, but each of the characters really had their own voice that was unique and easily identifiable.

I'm already looking forward to her next book.

And PS - THANK YOU for that epilogue. It's foreshadowed earlier in the book in reference to how most romances end, but I got a good chuckle of it actually playing out realistically and not caving to convention.

Oh my goodness she did it again. Emily Henry is a mastermind and dare I say this book might be my favorite by her. This book takes a troupe and adds depth and character to it. Nora is an amazing character who has a lot going on. She is the hardworking city girl who doesn’t have much time for dating. This book is a reminder that there are people who are going to love you the way you are and appreciate the things you care about.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this eARC!

Emily Henry is so good. The set up of this book is chef's-kiss perfection: Nora, an incredible high-powered literary agent and her sister Libby vacation in a small town in North Carolina, where Nora runs into Charlie, a book editor she's had tension with in the past. This book plays with the small town, professional woman trope beloved by hallmark movies everywhere, in a way that was so satisfying, and I loved that though the romance was central, Nora's relationship with her family was incredibly important to this book (as it was in my favorite Emily Henry book <i>Beach Read</i>. Emily Henry continues to rule, and I can't wait to read her next book.

Where to even start???

First THANK YOU SO MUCH to NetGalley, Berkley Books and Emily Henry for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review. To say this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 would be a gross understatement!

I fell in love with Emily Henry's Beach Read and People we meet on vacation and though she set the bar high I think Book lovers is by far her best yet!

Why I loved it so much (and think you will too):
-the beautiful sister relationship between Nora and Libby
-the small town AND big city love (NYC lovers and Stars Hollow lovers are going to all be happy)
-the strong, independent, female MC who is living her dream unapologetically and not looking for love, kids and a HEA to complete her life
-the LISTS!
-the OFF THE CHARTS sizzling, sexual tension/chemistry in this ultimate slow burn romance
-the ode to good books (literally!), writers, authors, editors, agents, etc ; this book is a love letter to all the things that make publishing great books possible
-the Beach Reads Easter egg at the end
-the PERFECT ending/epilogue

This was an emotional roller coaster ride and I enjoyed EVERY second of it. I didn't want this story to end but couldn't wait to see how it would. PRE-ORDER this one immediately and run to get your copy when it releases in May 2022! You will not be sorry. Perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez or Sarah Adams.