And even Nora can’t resist some of the charms, although part of her is always thinking about the city and work. She painted a reality-several storefronts closed but also pinpointed the unique characteristics that make those towns special. I really enjoyed how Emily Henry approached the small town obsession in the novel.

However, the two develop a bond and the ice begins to thaw a bit, which makes Nora question what she really wants out of life. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute. And as Libby is a lover of those Hallmark movies and romance novels, she puts together a list for Nora to achieve during this month-including a romance with a local and saving a small business, which Nora is not about any of that.Īnd to make matters more complex, Nora keeps running into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. Libby convinces Nora to take a vacation with her to the town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August. And Libby, pregnant with her third child, is in need of a break.

The only time she truly softens is when it comes to her beloved little sister, Libby. She’s a successful and cutthroat literary agent who is never without her phone and ignores the word vacation. That’s where our main character, Nora Stephens comes in. What’s behind their strong career aspirations and their success at all costs mentality? Why do they seem cold and somewhat detached? And that character never gets the happy ending.Įmily Henry decided to turn the narrative around and focus Book Lovers on that type of character and wonder if there is much more than meets the eye. Usually, they’re dressed well and very direct. This is the person who lives in the city and is aghast that their partner is having the time of their lives in the small town and could think of staying instead of shutting down the toy business, etc. If you’ve watched Hallmark Christmas movies, you know there is often times some type of villain-lite significant other.

I loved the different perspective on the small town setting, the romance is done well and the protagonist’s family dynamic was compelling and interesting. But I think Book Lovers is my favorite of hers. I really enjoyed her previous novels Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation. Now that doesn’t mean these stories don’t have depth because they do and quite often, they also cover heavy topics but the mix with the lighter and the romance really helps balance some of those more intense scenes.Įmily Henry is one of my favorite romance writers. So it’s good to bring a rom-com into the mix to lighten things up a bit.

Book lovers book review