Book Lovers in shelf indulgence

Aug 28, 2023 Sharon Orlopp rated it liked it

Shelves: aty-challenge, on-my-bookshelf, aty-shelf, books-about-books, fiction

Julia Whelan, narrator of the audiobook, Book Lovers, does a phenomenal job with incredible intonation. She has narrated over 500 books and is the author of several books. I definitely want to read some of her books and listen to other books that she narrates.

Like so many Goodreads friends, I love books and I really enjoy books about books. But throw in a lot of romance, and it doesn't quite fit the bill for me. ...more

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Sep 08, 2022 Tara rated it liked it

Shelves: new-adult, romance, hot-stuff

Okay story. Would have been four stars if Libby wasn’t so annoying.

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Jun 06, 2022 inês rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“I’ve always thought of myself as a creature of survival, but lately I’ve been daydreaming”

Oh, Emily Henry, you have done it again! Created an outstanding romance that is definitely going down as one of my favourites this year! Reading the behind-the-book section where she explains in a more detailed way how she came to create this idea just made me like it more. Here’s to the usually vilified characters!

Nora is our protagonist with a facade of ice and a saviour complex that rules he

“I’ve always thought of myself as a creature of survival, but lately I’ve been daydreaming”

Oh, Emily Henry, you have done it again! Created an outstanding romance that is definitely going down as one of my favourites this year! Reading the behind-the-book section where she explains in a more detailed way how she came to create this idea just made me like it more. Here’s to the usually vilified characters!

Nora is our protagonist with a facade of ice and a saviour complex that rules her life with an iron fist. I found her to be beyond interesting to read, it was genuinely enjoyable to uncover each layer of her personality as the story developed. Same for Charlie, who is very much alike her: doesn’t give off the best first impressions, has a odd, kinky sense of humour and an emotional package of trauma to unload. Peas in the same pod, capeesh?

Libby also has a place in my heart (we love and support bubbly characters in this house!).

“How is it possible for two people who belong together to belong in two different places?”

“We’re a Venn diagram now, instead of a circle.”

“(…)The life I would build if it was possible to have everything.”

I think one particular feature I adore in Emily Henry’s stories is how her characters are always whole alone, made of things beyond their relationships. Both Nora and Charlie feel somewhat palpable, so full of wonder and problems we ourselves have encountered, filled with details and many themes (parental love, filial devotion, fear of being oneself, etc). Henry ‘recycled’ a theme from her previous work, of someone wanting it all, wanting every piece of the cake in order to feel full, and gave it yet another special twist. It was, unlike I expected, comforting to read about a similar thing again.

“That’s the thing about being an adult standing beside your childhood race car bed. Time collapses, and instead of the version of you’ve built from scratch, you’re all the hackneyed drafts (...).”

But, Inês, if you praise it so badly, why rate it under “People We Meet On Vacation?” As much as I enjoyed it, it didn't capture the same earnest, almost child-like fun and ambience PWMOV had. It didn’t feel as.. natural (not that it's natural to have a 10 year long crush on somebody), but this one felt more tense and serious, more bitter than sweet, which sure I also adore but wasn't in the mood for today. PWMOV going down in history as the one book that made me laugh and not cringe at a Porn joke.

Nonetheless, Book Lovers is pretty good, and I think anyone that wants a good laugh and a pretty solid romance should give it a try. ...more

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Jun 07, 2025 mari rated it liked it

2.5 I don’t know, I was bored. And I really don’t care about any of the characters, but I can admit it’s written well.

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Jul 20, 2022 Audrey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Blurb: Nora Stephens is a shark. She’s an uptight career-loving side character that normally gets dumped and tossed aside for a small-town girl, AKA the lead in most movies and romance novels. Think Miranda Priestly, for example. This is her love story.

Any romcom reader’s cup of tea! Enemies to lovers trope is strong with this one. And oh God, the banter is *chef’s kiss*

4.5/5 stars!

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