Staff Review – Book Lovers by Emily Henry

I read Emily Henry’s “People We Meet on Vacation” back in the summer and absolutely loved it. I eagerly put Henry’s other novels on hold after that, including her latest one, “Book Lovers”. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. “Book Lovers” follows Nora Stephens, a publishing agent who is whisked away to a small town (that is the setting of one of her client’s best-selling novels) by her sister Libby, far from their home in New York. While in small-town Sunshine Falls, she encounters Charlie Lastra, a book editor she had a less-than-desirable first meeting with two years prior. While Nora is originally on this trip to bond with her sister (who, with two kids and one on the way, seems like she needs a getaway), she is continually pulled towards Charlie in, of course, his hometown of Sunshine Falls. Romance tropes galore in this one – small-town romance, enemies to lovers, and more!

One of my favourite things about “People We Meet on Vacation” was the witty banter between Poppy and Alex. After reading “Book Lovers”, I now see that is clearly an Emily Henry signature. There are so many laugh out loud moments in this book. Nora’s narration, as well as her banter with both her sister and Charlie are absolutely magical. Always a fan of deadpan humour, this book did not leave me disappointed. I wish I had the quick wit of both Charlie and Nora. Their dynamic was definitely one of my favourite things about this book. I loved this couple and how their relationship unfolds in this novel. Another things I loved was that this is one of those wonderful books about books. As an English major in university and a library worker now, you can guess how much I love books. Nora and Charlie both work in the publishing industry, so it was fun reading about the process of a new book being written and coming to life.

While an absolutely hilarious read, this novel also touched on a lot of serious topics, mostly from the main characters’ back stories. Nora and Libby grew up without a father after he left when Nora was 3, and their struggling-actress mother passed away 10 years ago. Charlie’s story is unveiled as the book goes on, but he also had plenty of hurt and heartbreak from his younger years as well. Nora and Charlie slowly begin to open up to each other and become more vulnerable, which was absolutely beautiful to read. They both come off as hard, icy and heartless characters, which couldn’t be farther from the truth, once you get to know them. This novel reminded me that you never know what others are going through, which is true for more than just the two main characters.

This book had me laughing and crying, smiling and reading long into the night. “Book Lovers” is currently nominated for a GoodReads Choice Award for favourite romance novel, and I can’t wait to see if it wins! If you’re looking for a new author to read, Emily Henry’s writing will absolutely win you over. I loved this book more than I was expecting (and I already had a feeling I would love it), and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since finishing it. It’s steamy, heartfelt, and laugh out loud funny. Be sure to check out Book Lovers by Emily Henry today!