The Constant Reader

10th June, 2022

Review: Book Lovers by Emily Henry (Penguin)

Nora and Charlie: She is a tough literary agent, he is a moody editor. They once had a work lunch and ended up being each other’s work nemeses. Now, Nora has been swept away to Sunshine Falls for a month-long holiday by her sister. As the cover blurb suggests: “It’s a small town straight out of a romcom novel, but instead of meeting sexy lumberjacks or handsome country doctors, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie.”

This was my second book by Emily Henry and it was by far the better of the two. If you are looking for a quirky but not shallow summer read, look no further. Book Lovers is a cute romcom but also an exploration of what it means to be a family and of what really matters in life. Yes, it is a bit cheesy but it will also warm your heart.

What I loved about this novel was the funny meta commentaries on the small town romcom trope. If you’ve read a few books in the romance genre or watched a couple of Hallmark movies, you’ll know that it’s a common – almost overused – plot device. And it is a device here as well, but with a nice little, sort of self-conscious twist, playing with the well-known stereotypes. It was a real treat to see Nora and Charlie tiptoeing around each other, including a few mildly steamy scenes. And can we please shortly mention the bookshop that is run by Charlie’s family and that – surprise, surprise – needs saving. What a fabulous place full of (eventually) cosy nooks and crannies. The shop, together with the cottage Nora and her sister are staying in, made me want to dive into the book and visit Sunshine Fall immediately.

But what makes this novel so good are really the characters themselves. They are flawed but instantly loveable and you find yourself rooting for them in even the stupidest situations. Besides the connection between Nora and Charlie, I loved the relationship of the two sisters that is a bit strained when they first start their holiday. Things will eventually be revealed of course, but I really enjoyed the dynamics between the two women before they really start talking.

Book Lovers is all over social media and that’s because it is a beautiful story. Grab yourselves a copy!

Rating: 5/5 stars