Emily Henry earned a spot on my auto buy author list after Beach Read! I absolutely fell in love with her! She is charing witty and her story telling style is second to none. I love how her rom-com characters interact and have so much chemistry together. People We Meet on Vacation was equally as charming a follow up to Beach Read and absolutely put me in the mood to travel! ‘
When I saw this book was coming out—one I needed NO convincing to read this not with a title like Book Lovers! For me personally I love an enemies to lovers trope over the friends to lovers troupe which is why I liked Beach Read a little better than People We Meet on Vacation. I personally felt like the chemistry and tension was better in Beach Read and that is generally the case for me when I pick up an enemies to lovers troupe. So when I saw that this latest novel featured an enemies to lovers plot I was all for it!
This book has me written all over it. I was absolutely primed to fall in love with this book before even picking it up. Emily Henry is simply a fantastic writer and I cannot say enough good things about this latest book! I knew I would enjoy this one but I was not fully prepared for just HOW much I was going to love it. If you don’t read anything else this spring—read this one!
Summary
One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming…
Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.
Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.
If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
This is a book about book lovers for book lovers and my bookish heart is so happy right now. I had been looking forward to this one for quite some time, I mean hello BOOKS as the catalyst for love just screams read me! I feel like every book that Henry writes I can absolutely see myself in—-the characters, the romance, the plot just everything she does such a great job making readers of her novels feel seen and connected to the story. I think that’s what makes her books so fantastic is I can absolutely see myself! When I started reading this one, I kept telling myself to savor it and slow down but I just couldn’t! It was too good.
From the get go, I loved Nora. As a long standing book reviews, I felt so invested in her character simply because she was a book editor and over the years I have gotten to know quite a few book editors and agents so I felt a special connection to her and her character. I loved how smart and plucky she was. I could see myself in her so easily and I could absolutely relate to her love of reading (dah!). I admired the close relationship she has with her sister. I have a sister but we are not close like Libby and Nora in the book but it was so nice to see their relationship evolve and change in the story. While I enjoyed the sister plot, it was absolutely the romance that swept me away—I mean it is a romance novel after-all so naturally the strongest part of the story.
Charlie is absolutely swoon worthy! Basically he starts off as this kind of grumpy asshole but yet he breaks down your defenses and nestles in your heart. I loved his character and I felt like him and Nora were so completely suited. I was 100% invested in their romance and eager to keep reading to see how they eventually came together. I really feel like Emily Henry is at her strongest writing enemies to lovers or grumpy/grump romances. I literally cannot say enough good things about this book and the characters with our spoiling anything. Just know that I loved this one and it rivals Beach Read in my opinion! This is a book about book lovers for book lovers and I can’t wait for more books by this wonderful author. Read this one you will not be disappointed!
Book Info and Rating
Format: 384 pages hardcover
Publication: May 3rd, 2022 by Berkley Books
ISBN: 9780593440872
Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 5 stars
Genre: contempo romance
The Lit Bitch 