Audiobook Review: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Published by Berkley on May 3, 2022
Pages: 398
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
Genres: Romance, Women's Fiction


Amazon Audible

One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....

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.

As a voracious reader who enjoys romance novels, reading a love story about an editor and a publicist was a no-brainer. Book Lovers is a little slice of bookworm heaven. 

People perceive Nora as fierce and work-obsessed, and to some extent that is true. She is a driven literary agent who is devoted to three things: her younger sister, her clients, and New York City. Her top client has written a runaway bestseller set in the small town of Sunshine Falls. When Nora’s book-loving sister, Libby, wants them to spend a month-long vacation there, Nora reluctantly agrees to go. While in Sunshine Falls, she bumps into Charlie, a book editor with whom she previously met and instantly disliked.

First impressions can be wrong, and I liked Nora discovering what a caring and witty man Charlie really is. At the end of the day, all we want is for someone to understand us and love us exactly the way we are. Charlie is that person for Nora; he lifts her up and sees her perceived flaws as strengths. It’s touching how completely open and honest they are with each other. 

Nora and Charlie quickly go from enemies to friends and then slowly to lovers. The key word being “slowly”. Each time they so much as try to kiss they are interrupted by a text or phone call. It drove me nuts. I enjoyed Nora and Charlie working together to edit her client’s new novel, though. I recognized their excitement in discovering an addictive story and the joy of dissecting it with each other.

What didn’t work for me? Libby and Nora’s co-dependent relationship. Libby is sweet but also annoying. As close as the sisters are, their difficulty communicating is perplexing. I was equally frustrated by Nora’s obsession with fixing things to make sure Libby is always happy.

I like small town romances, and while I missed having a larger cast of diverse residents, the story gives us a good feel for life in the town. Nora paints such a vivid picture of New York City that it’s almost like a beloved character in the book, with a beating pulse and a profound impact on her life. 

A round of applause to Emily Henry for delivering such a heartwarming story. 

Julia Whelan’s narration of the audiobook is simply flawless. She has quickly become my favorite narrator due to her ability to inject emotion into every sentence. Her delivery of dialog is a vocal performance that should not be missed.

Recommended for fans of:
Books
Small towns
Enemies turned lovers
Women’s fiction
Checklists

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