Review: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

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.

• Title: Book Lovers
• Author:  Emily Henry 
• Publisher: Berkley
• Publication Date: May 3rd, 2022
• Genre: Romance 
• Targeted Age Range: Adult
• Content Warnings: Grief, death of a parent, parental abandonment, stroke, hospitalization, pregnancy 
• Rating: ★★★★★

“Some books you don’t read so much as live, and finishing one of those always makes me think of ascending from a scuba dive.” 

I’ve tried to put into words how Emily Henry’s books make me feel before, and I think that once again, I’ll just have to borrow her words. My Emily Henry literary journey started two years ago with Beach Read. We were two months into the pandemic, and I had to read a “beach read” for a book club-adjacent thing. I remember scrolling through Goodreads trying to find a beach read that piqued my interest, when I saw that Emily Henry’s Beach Read was coming out that following week. I thought I was so clever for picking the book Beach Read for the beach read prompt. Little did I know that I’d find one of my favorite authors, and a character I related to so deeply. Beach Read was a book that brought me immense comfort through the pandemic and bouts of grief, and one that I find myself revisiting periodically. And then when People We Meet on Vacation came out, I dove into that one too, finding myself in both Poppy and Alex, and cementing myself as an Emily Henry reader forever. I would’ve been highly anticipating whatever Henry published next, but when I saw the pitch of Book Lovers, I knew this would, just like its predecessors, be an instant favorite. A cutthroat literary Type A agent? Need I say more? Truth be told, I would read Emily Henry’s grocery list, and I’m not talking about her newsletter that just launched, but her actual grocery list. 

On publication day, I woke up at 4 am — as I often do, and reached for my phone, where Book Lovers had just loaded onto it. I am not a big phone reader; I much prefer using my iPad, or my Kindle, but I had a busy morning ahead of me, and I wanted to get started right away. I should’ve known that was a mistake, because the minute I started reading, I didn’t want to put my phone down. It got so bad that I was actually reading it while I was at the gym (It’s truly a miracle that I didn’t trip). Despite how unhinged I probably looked, I had a blast — and I finished Book Lovers before work, so that’s what truly matters.

Book Lovers is everything that I hoped for, and more. It is, like all other Emily Henry works of art, a love letter to finding not just romance, but also yourself after tragedy and healing. Without getting too personal, the way Henry writes about grief has always been something that resonates deeply with me. Whether that’s through January, Alex, June (from A Million Junes), and now, through Nora. At times, it feels like reading old journal entries, at times, it feels like being known and understood. We often talk about the mortifying ordeal of being known and being perceived, but it isn’t embarrassing at all. It feels like coming home. It feels like comfort. It feels like knowing that you’re not the only one out there with these feelings, this hurt, this loneliness — this indescribable thing called grief. Henry’s books feel a little bit like a lifejacket, a little like a flicker of light in the dark, a hand holding yours and reminding you you’re not alone. Grief is as much of a character as Nora and Charlie are, and for that, I’m grateful. 

Nora Shepherd is simply refreshing. She’s driven and ambitious as a means of survival, cutthroat and shark-esque because she’s had no other choice but to be that way. To others, she might appear cold and detached, but she’s anything but. Nora’s just a result of her circumstances. Her character arc was so relatable, and I loved how her work ethic and passion was never something she was ashamed of. Reading about Nora following her own dreams, and finally putting herself first was simply heartwarming. But most of all, I loved how Nora came to realize that loving people doesn’t necessarily mean fixing their problems. Sometimes, you just have to be there. 

Charlie and Nora are truly two sides of the same coin. Both of them are products of their environment, and appear to be cold, emotionless, and snarky when they’re truly anything but. They love fiercely, and care so much about the people in their lives. I genuinely loved Charlie and Nora together. It’s rare that you find two characters who feel so genuine and tangible, who love each other so much that they’re willing to give the other person up for their own happiness. Even now, I’m sitting here beaming, thinking about their love. The way Henry writes banter and pining is simply unmatched, and I found the two of them to be so charming. They truly understood each other, and their motivations — it’s why they’re such a good pair. I really liked how they opened up to one another, and how they affirmed and supported each other. From their initial emails to their eventual relationship, I just absolutely loved them. 

Book Lovers is a romance about Nora and Charlie, but there is just as much love between Nora and her sister, Libby, as there is anyone else. Part eldest daughter, part pseudo-partner to her mother, Nora has always put her family’s needs above hers. At no point was Nora resentful about giving up her dreams for her sister, nor was Libby presented in an ‘ungrateful’ manner. Even when the two of them were upset with one another, there wasn’t a particular “villain”. It was just something they had to work through, and communicate about. 

I was so charmed by the small town of Sunshine Falls, and its residents, and would definitely read books about them all. I also just loved the little name drops to Beach Read and January Andrews, cementing the Emily Henry Cinematic Universe. I think it’s a testament to Henry’s writing that I knew exactly what would happen and how Book Lovers would end, yet I still teared up when I reached the epilogue. Book Lovers is truly a gem, and I’m already planning on rereading it the minute my signed copy arrives (hopefully soon).

 

Links for Book Lovers: Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop | IndieBound