I was undecided about this romance novel. The protagonist is an interesting, complex character – Nora, a literary agent in New York City who has also taken it on herself to sort out her sister Libby’s life, with Nora’s efforts taking up much narratorial space in the novel. The romance in fact arrives in the shape of Charlie, a book editor whom Nora encounters first in a tense work meeting and later on by chance in Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. How these meetings make Nora appraise her family dynamics and the relentless work culture she is embedded in, is the novel’s greatest achievement, but I found some of the dialogue and events a little contrived. Nevertheless, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for the free e-book ARC I received that allowed me to produce this honest, unbiased review.

Perfect escapism, funny, engaging and full of likeable characters. I got a little impatient with Nora and her made-up tragedies at times but generally found this a great read.

Let's start with the good things about Book Lovers.
CHARLIE LASTRA. He is just amazing. Everything about him is just so perfect. He was my favorite character. His story was so compelling and every sentence that came out of his mouth was perfection. Highlight of the book for me.
Of course, Nora's story was compelling too. As with Beach Read, this book had an underlying plot about dealing with trauma and saddness that involves family. I can't even get into words how deep Nora's story is. She is such a strong and caring character, willing to put her sister above anything and give her everything in the world. Nora dealing with her emotions, the responsibility and how their mother's death affected her was so beautifully written. I also loved her sisterly bond with Libby and how they are always going to be there for each other.
Charlie and Nora's banter was also perfection. I loved how they ended up editing a book together and I was dying inside every time they were in a room together. EH really knows how to write a good bantet between characters. They are both competitive in a way and so funny.
Also, as a booklover myself, who doesn't want to read about other booklovers??

I don't really have any criticism towards this book, but some things didn't sit right with me or I just couldn't get into them.
The synopsis paints Nora and Charlie's relationship as rivals. I didn't get that feeling at all. They aren't competing for a work spot, they aren't really bickering about anything (other than his dislike of her client's work, but still, this was mild IMO). I would never call them rivals, just colleagues.
Next, I wasn't feeling small town vibes. Nothing to do with my enjoyment of the book, but the setting wasn't winning me over. It worked for the story perfectly, but not my cup of tea.
And lastly, Libby and her list. I was getting mildly annoyed by how she was trying to get Nora to love this town and how she and Nora crafted a whole list of things to accomplish, but again, it was mild annoyance. Especially once you learn why she is like that, it becomes irrelevant.

5 stars.
Smart, romantic, and absolutely delightful—I loved everything about this and couldn't put it down. Emily Henry does it again.

I loved this. Nora is the anti hero - the cold faced career woman that is always left in the romance novels for the comely local girl, and real life often imitates art.

When Charlie and Nora meet it isn't love at first sight - more like pistols at dawn. When Nora's sister makes them take an extended road trip to the site of one of Nora's authors books, Charlie is unexpectedly there and Charlier and Nora make verbal sparring at art form.

There is so much to love in this book - from the general love of all involved of books, to the love of sisters, family, quaint and weird little towns, and the fun, vibrancy and madness of New York.

This book is a love story - not just to finding the other half of you, but to celebrating everything that makes you your own unique you, and the person those around you love as a whole. It's of course a love story to books as well and their place in the world, how they wind a richness around lives that can sometimes be cruel and sparce and keep you protected in their bubble of warmth. And to all those independent bookstores and owners out there, who cultivate a home from home for bookies around the world.

I found Book Lovers on NetGalley, by an author unknown to me, and surprisingly, it was one of the best novels I've read in years. A modern novel, very fun and with witty dialogues.


The author Emily Henry decides to play with a notorious cliché in romances, especially the stories centered on a small town, in which a reluctant city character (usually very stressed) ends up falling in love with the local character, calm and with values ​​linked to the land and nature. Inevitably, the city character will also surrender to the small city, moving there.

Generally, the city character in these stories always has a bad or simply cold boyfriend/girlfriend, equally stressed and unsympathetic.


Now, our main character is Nora, the city girlfriend who has been left by several boyfriends who, surprisingly, all end up in love with nature and local girlfriends, so pure that one of them is called Chastity.


She's an ambitious (nicknamed the shark) and a scathing literary agent who's not fit, especially when it comes to Charles, the literary editor.

Of course, two literary characters could only have an interesting, intelligent dialogue with hilarious puns.


But it is also a story about the duality of criteria that professional women face, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and different ways of grief.


It's a complete, fun, and very sexy romance.

This is a romance story but with a bit of a twist. The characters are not the type you typically find in a novel such as this. However, for me that’s the reason it worked.

I find myself drawn to books about books, and this is why it initially appealed to me. Nora is a publishing agent who has become a little jaded over relationships. She goes away with her sister for a month and meets Charlie. The story is a will they, won’t they type affair. I loved the way the main characters interacted, and I really got caught up in their story.

It was an easy read and one that I enjoyed coming back to each time I had to put it down. I felt it did dip slightly in the middle, which is why I have given it 4 stars not 5. However, overall I enjoyed it.

I’ve not read anything by Emily Henry before, and based on this I would read more of her work.

Thank you to NetGally and Penguin General UK for my advanced copy in exchange for this honest review

This book ticked all the right boxes for me. EMILY HENRY can write such good characters and dialogues it's difficult to think they only exist on the pages of a book.

BOOK LOVERS felt like a suspense novel for me. I've never been so invested in love story as the one between Nora and Charlie. She's a literary agent living in New York. The men she has dated have almost all had small town flings and have left her. She's living in a romance novel, only she is at the wrong end of it. Charlie is an editor. He also lives in New York. They meet, argue and hate each other.

Nora's sister Libby has a great idea for her. They have to live the small town life that Nora's exes have done. Who knows, maybe Nora will run into the love of her life there? They move to a small town which was the setting of one of Nora's client's books. There she runs in to Charlie of all people.

I'm going to leave you there, just know that when you read this book you should be ready for realistic and laugh-out-loud dialogues between the characters; a real heartfelt story; and I can't promise you you won't cry.

Second book I've read by this author and if I liked the previous one (Beach read) a lot, I loved this one. I found it a very beautiful story and at the same time very adult.

The beginning of the book, if you are a person who reads a lot and knows how to recognise the clichés, is very enjoyable. The way the author uses the characters to criticise the most recurrent clichés in literature I loved. Moreover, in this book she doesn't resort to them, on the contrary, the author manages to give them a twist and make you believe one thing and then do the opposite. It is perfect.
Regarding the plot, I can only say that although it is sold as an enemies to lovers, it is NOT. It is a book in which two characters who don't get on well together coincide in a small town and have to learn to live together for a month, seeing each other every day, when it is more than evident that sparks fly between them, even though they both want to deny it at the beginning. The book is very well structured, with chapters that are neither too long nor too short, but I would have liked it to have been double POV.

As far as the characters are concerned I loved them both. I think they each have a great personality and the way they get to know each other and help each other is beautiful. Ten out of ten.

However, what I liked most about this book is that there is no drama as such. That is, they don't get angry over something silly and then forgive each other. Here the characters are apart for a while because they are adults and real life isn't like in the books where one runs off after the other no matter what and they are happy ever after. I think the way the author solves it is one of the best criticisms of the unrealistic HEAs in many books. I'm the first to enjoy them and know that they are books and don't have to be true to reality, but every once in a while reading a more realistic book is necessary.

A perfect book. Highly, highly recommended.

This was a lovely, warm book about my favourite subject…books. This sweet book really hit all the buttons and I finished it very quickly. I was really rooting for Charlie all the way through. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

If it was possible to give a book more than 5 stars, this would be one for me. I have already rushed out and gotten more of Emily Henry’s books as a result of reading ‘Book Lovers’.
Nora has always been there for her little sister, Libby, so when Libby asks her to go to the small country town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for a month, she agrees, hoping that they can reconnect. Nora can’t stop feeling that something is not quite right between them. Libby is determined for her to love the country life, but for Nora, she feels totally adrift, missing her life in New York. When Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a book editor from New York, in Sunshine Falls, she starts to see him in a different light. Charlie has returned home to help his parents, in a town, that he never felt he belonged. Yet when Nora keeps turning up at his family’s bookstore, what seemed like animosity begins to change into something different.
I loved the strength and fragility of Nora and Libby’s relationship, which drives all of Nora’s actions. And then she spends time with Charlie, who just seems to understand Nora, and she doesn’t have to close off her feelings with him. The intensity of Charlie and Nora’s relationship oozes from the pages and the description of their feelings which is often reflected in their text messages and Charlie’s expression, continues to play on my mind. There were so many scenes that either made me chuckle or had me in tears. This is definitely a book, that I will reread in the future.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored this book. It was the perfect small town romance with multiples tropes in a subtle way. I'm convinced Emily Henry can do no wrong and I'm so excited to see what she does next. 5/5 stars.

Emily Henry is an incredibly talented author. I was aware of that fact, as I have read her previous works, so I knew before starting her new novel that there is nothing to fear. I was not wrong; <i>Book Lovers</i> turned out to be another fantastically written book of hers with a compelling storyline and characters you cannot help but fall in love with.

When it comes to romance, I have no problem when an author focuses on main characters and their relationship, and plot is something happening in the background. I am however still able to appreciate a well-written, interesting storyline, which Emily Henry certainly knows how to write. Sunshine Falls was a perfect setting for two book editors to went through an upcoming release with the blue pencil. I was incredibly invested in Charlie’s connection to this place, as well as his and Nora’s longing for New York and reasons behind that.

One of the most exceptional skills of Emily Henry is her ability to create complex, fascinating characters. I am in unceasing awe every time I read her books. Complicated characters are my favourite ones and the more imperfect they are, the more I am riveted on them. That is why I was so completely and undeniably enthralled with Nora and Charlie.

Both of them are cool, brutally honest and full of flaws. Simultaneosly, they are remarkably smart, hard-working and protective. They have so many layers to their personalities, so many traits making them seem complicated and messy - and that’s what makes them <i>real</i>.

Though I adore a good opossites attract romance, I absolutely loved the fact that Nora and Charlie were so similar. The fact that they understood each other so perfectly and could see right through each other was what made them compatible. They both needed someone who could see them for who they truly were and that’s why their congruities made them well-matched.

Every page I spent reading about their relationship development was a pure pleasure. I loved seeing them get to know each other and discover reasons and motivations behind their behavior. I also immensly enjoyed reading about them fighting their attraction to each other - at the end, who isn’t wild about a well-developed tension?

<i>Book Lovers</i>enthralled me. Emily Henry once again created a remarkable story with unforgettable characters and absorbing romance. The book was engrossing and unputdownable, and I loved every page of it. Truly, there is nothing I could fault it with. Now I can’t wait for future Henry’s releases and I will definitely be here to read them.

Thank you, Penguin General UK and Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Say the right thing.”
“No one thinks that.”
“I do.”
His lashes splay across his cheeks as his gaze drops. “Maybe I just say the right thing for you.”

WOW!!! 5 Fabulous Stars! And just like that, we hit the Emily Henry jackpot once again! We’ve adored every book we’ve read by this author, and with Book Lovers, she’s left us positively giddy, we love every fabulous minute!

In Book Lovers, Emily Henry has perfectly blended the seriousness of grief whilst enveloping it in warmth, peppering it with humour, and wrapping it up in a swoony romance with a small-town atmosphere. Gosh, we loved this book. It gave us those warm and fuzzy ‘book love’ feelings.

‘That’s life. You’re always making decisions, taking paths that lead you away from the rest before you can see where they end. Maybe that’s we, as a species, love stories so much. All those chances for do-overs, opportunities to live the lives we’ll never have.’

Now this is a big call, but… we think Charlie Lastra might be our favourite Emily Henry hero, and that’s saying something, considering how much we loved Gus in Beach Read and Alex in People We Meet on Vacation! Both those heroes were to die for, but Charlie…there’s just something about him – his vulnerability, his protective nature, and his directedness with Nora. It all boiled down to one fabulous hero!

“I’ve got you, Nora,” he promises quietly. “I’ve got you, okay?”

There was so much to Book Lovers – the wonderfully swoony romance, the ode to New York (which had us wanting to jet off there immediately!), the importance of family, the pain of grief, and of course the wonderfully quirky characters, all moulded together with the relationship between Nora and her younger sister Libby being the icing on the book cake. The sister’s relationship was so beautifully crafted, and how can we not mention the witty banter, cheeky one-liners, heart-warming moments, and intense chemistry that is synonymous with an Emily Henry read! We ADORED this book!

‘That is what I’m looking for every time I flip to the back of a book, compulsively checking for proof that in a life where so many things have gone wrong, there can be beauty too. That there is always hope, no matter what.’

Nora Stephens has always cared for and nurtured her younger sister Libby before and since their Mum’s passing some ten years ago. Both sisters have unresolved grief that is explored so poignantly throughout Book Lovers. To appease her sister Libby, Nora agrees to spend a month with her to tick off some ‘bucket list’ items Libby feels the workaholic and unlucky in love Nora desperately needs to experience. Libby doesn’t normally reach out to Nora in this way and considering it will mean a month away from her husband and two daughters, she figures the pregnant Libby needs a break.

Libby is obsessed with a small-town romance series, of which the author is one of agent Nora’s clients. Libby wants Nora to experience small-town living – in a way, to bring a small-town romance to life, but New York loving Nora agrees with some hesitancy – being away from New York and her work is frightening. Not to mention she is handholding her client through the new breakaway book, Frenzy.

But Libby’s needs win out. So, it’s off to Sunshine Falls for the sisters. And so, the journey begins! What Nora didn’t expect was to run into her New York nemesis, Editor Charles Lastra. The chemistry between them has always sizzled, but their sharp barbs and intense last meeting are seared in Nora’s brain.

Why is he here in Sunshine Falls and how can she avoid him? Does she even want to? What is Libby’s real reason for wanting some alone time? The overthinking Nora deduces all manner of scenarios, and we witness all the crazy, sad, and painful monologues Nora delivers.

“I think you’re one of the least disappointing people I’ve ever met.”

This book really hit the spot. Nora was such a unique heroine – very direct, no-nonsense, and the more we came to know how she ticked the more in love with her we fell. Book Lovers is a book for all of us book lovers. Emily Henry really hits the spot with all that we crave in this genre. She gets us, and we LOVE IT!

THIS. BOOK. I CAN'T. I LOVED IT. I WOULD READ IT OVER THOUSAND TIMES.

“Maybe love shouldn’t be built on a foundation of compromises, but maybe it can’t exist without them either. Not the kind that forces two people into shapes they don’t fit in, but the kind that loosens their grips, always leaves room to grow. Compromises that say, there will be a you-shaped space in my heart, and if your shape changes, I will adapt. No matter where we go, our love will stretch out to hold us, and that makes me feel like … like everything will be okay.”

I appreciate a random Love Actually reference no matter how small. Some books feel like they’re made for you. This one feels like it was made for me, and I know without a doubt so many of you will feel the same. With sharp dialogue, a swoon worthy romance, an emotional sister relationship, and an exploration of life choices and where they take us, Book Lovers will grab onto your tender reader’s heart and not let go even after finishing it.

Nora is an editor in New York, the city she moved to with her mum and younger sister so her mum could get a chance to act, the city she loves like nowhere else – known as the Shark, since their mother’s death she’s concentrated on her career and her sister, acting like both parents to her and keeping a checklist any men she wants to date must conform to. Immersed in the world of books, she knows her tropes, especially the City Person Goes to the Country one – and she’s in fact been dumped four times now by city guys who’ve gone to a small town, helped save a struggling business and fallen in love with the owner’s daughter, etc. I did love the fact this book cheerfully undermines those tropes – but kindly.

Charlie is a super-editor who can create a best-seller out of nothing. He escaped his small town in North Carolina for New York and hardened his heart when he knew he couldn’t live up to his family’s wishes for him. He’s a perfectionist with a heart of … gold, or not? Who knows if he’s got a heart. Nora certainly doesn’t think so.

When Nora’s heavily pregnant sister drags her to a small town in – oh, North Carolina – that’s the setting for her favourite novel (published by Nora’s client), Nora goes along with it but becomes suspicious at Libby’s motives for going out there for a month, especially when she overhears some fraught phone conversations with her husband. And then a certain editor appears. And then that same author starts to deliver her latest novel – all about a hard-edged literary agent in New York … and who is appointed as her editor?

Although the main couple are obviously leading towards each other, the way it happens is twisty and turny and there are surprises along the way. Charlie’s parents are a delight and the small-town world is caught beautifully. The absorption in the world of book publishing and editing is detailed and educative and the back-stories and motivations believable. I would definitely read more by this author.

My review (out 14 May) https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/05/14/book-review-emily-henry-book-lovers/

I absolutely adored this book! I love Emily Henry’s style of writing so much, her books are not the stereotypical romance offering- this one was sharp, witty and like a breath of fresh air. I loved the banter between Nora and Charlie, it was so funny at times but there was also a deeper level to both characters shown too which made them really interesting and I was itching to find out what happens next right from the start. I highly recommend this book!

When I opened the book, I wanted to read for about ten minutes, or until my mug was empty, but I couldn't put it down until I had turned the last page.

Was it predictable? Yes, it was.

What kept me turning the pages? Emily Henry's writing, characters, snarky banter.

Third book by her that I've read and the third book that I had to finish in one sitting.

“The last-page ache. The deep breath in after you’ve set the book aside.”

The moment Emily Henry announces a new book, i rush to add it to my tbr and mark the release day on my calendar.

Book Lovers had me in a choke hold. It was a bit different to BR and PWMOV but amazing nonetheless.


I loved the romcom vibes of this one. I laughed so much and even though the romance moved fast it felt really genuine. The chemistry between Charlie and Nora was 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Also can we please take a moment of silence to acknowledge the magnificence of Charlie Lansra 🙏🏽🕯️

Besides the cute small town setting and the hate to love romance, what i really adored was the sister relationship in this book. I too have an elder sister who is so similar to Nora and it was like getting a little insight into her mind.


Book Lovers was fun and heart warming and everything i expected in a Emily Henry book.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC for review

TW: This book contains mentions of loss of parent, grief, anxiety, PTSD-related symptoms, etc.

Emily Henry is firmly cementing her herself as a comfort read author for me. This is the second book of hers I've read and the second time I've given her work five stars. Book Lovers is a wonderful story filled with beautiful complex and flawed characters, and so much emotional and personal growth.

Charlie and Nora are two characters, who at first glance, appear to have nothing in common except professions in the literary industry. However, these two people suddenly find themselves in the same small town at the exact same time, for completely different reasons. It's here they discover that they actually have more in common than initially thought.

What I adored about this book was how easy it was to delve into and feel a part of their (fictional) world. From the first page to the last, I was hooked. Their wins and their losses felt like my wins and my losses; and I was eagerly invested in their well-deserved happily-ever-after.

I loved that the romance between Charlie and Nora felt easy and comfortable as it made for the change of focus to other areas in their lives more simple. There were so many individual aspects to unpack in this story (e.g. family, friends, exes, their history) but it never felt rushed or unnecessary which is exactly what I need in a book that touches on heavier subjects.

Overall, another great book by Emily Henry and one that I'm already considering how soon I can begin my re-read!