The ones that speak to me are those whose final pages admit there is no going back. That every good thing must end. That every bad thing does too, that everything does.

That is what I’m looking for every time I flip to the back of a book, compulsively checking for proof that in a life where so many things have gone wrong, there can be beauty too. That there is always hope, no matter what.

Emily Henry, Book Lovers

Goodreads Synopsis:

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.

My Thoughts

I read a lot of great books this month. So much so that I am planning on adding and honorable mentions post. Book Lovers took the honor because I felt the deepest connection. I love Hallmark movies, but I keep thinking that I want a twist where they don’t want to stay in the small town. That’s what this is, a look at the other side. The person who usually gets dumped in the movies because they love their jobs and city life. Even though I’m more of a small-town girl, I loved the way Nora and Charlie were so dedicated to helping their family. As someone dipping her toes into the writing world, I also really liked the behind-the-scenes view of the publishing industry.

What I liked about this book

• Nora and Charlie are both great characters
• The book is a good mix of humor and sentiment
• Even though Charlie and Nora had bad first impressions of each other, they didn’t drag it out too long once they finally realized they had a lot in common
• The relationship between Nora and her sister Libby