Book Lovers | A Feel Good Summer Read

I had been looking forward to Book Lovers even before the start of the year. With a back drop of books and publishing, it’s setting seemed just perfect. As the author says in the book, Is there anything better than iced coffee and a book store on a sunny day? I mean, aside from hot coffee and a book store on a rainy day! This truly echoes my sentiment and hence the eagerness for this book.

Book Lovers is largely circling the tried & tested trope of small town romance that involves saving a local business and falling for a local guy in the process. At first, I was wondering if the book is trying to dispel this, or is it itself one of the same?

The book takes a magnificent start with Dusty’s novel Once In A Lifetime – that follows the same trope – becoming a runaway success. Based in the small town of Sunshine Falls, this took me straight back to Cranbridge from The Riverside Lane Series by Allison Sherlock – a master at this theme! I have loved her books and simply adore The Village Shop For Lonely Hearts.

However, where Book Lovers surprises the reader is – when the protagonist Nora and her sister Libby decide to actually visit Sunshine Falls. The steep climb to Goode’s Lily Cottage, the beautifully painted setting by Emily Henry in this quaint, charming and perfect town instantly had me wanting to visit Cranbridge from Riverside Lane. This is such an interesting thought, to be visiting the place out of a novel, getting to see those very landmarks that were mentioned in the book – some meeting your imagination, some not.

It is difficult to say who immortalizes whom – is it Once In A Lifetime that has immortalized Sunshine Falls by turning it into a tourist spot? Or is this town in turn immortalizing the book with placards claiming to be the landmarks mentioned in the book, and by erecting a statue for a famous character from the book Old Man Whittaker.

Alongside all of this, you have a budding romance between Nora and Charlie, her work nemesis from New York who she happens to bump into, here on vacation. Quite the expected enemies turned lovers script.

As you enjoy the scenic town and a hilarious checklist that Libby and Nora are fulfilling on this vacation, there are some interesting characters and sequences that keep you smiling throughout. There is a part where the locals put up a play for Once In A Lifetime with a young kid playing the old man Whittaker! The whole sequence is so very funny yet imaginable.

Nora’s character is that of an over protective older sister, which honestly gets irritating at times. How older siblings sometimes try to become your mother or father, when sometimes all you need is a sister next to you. This thought is so fluently conveyed, it makes so much sense!

There also is a parallel story underway, in the form of Dusty’s new novel that Charlie and Nora are editing. Nadine, the protagonist of it apparently is inspired (or so Nora thinks) by her character, that of an emotionless workaholic who has no life other than her work. And Nora is, all the time drawing a simile and admonishing herself for being what she is, for inspiring such a character. The symbolic end to it with the cat belonging with Nadine is beautifully narrated with a subtle message.

Complementing a heart warming story, Emily Henry knits some immensely meaningful and endearing quotes in the book. I highlighted so many passages of Book Lovers as I read through. The two sisters are lying in the open, staring at the stars and talking of metaphorically being connected to each other through the stars at all times, despite the physical distance. And an astonishing quote that by itself makes the book worthy of a read “There are things in life so valuable that you must risk the pain of losing them for the joy of briefly having them”. The author wins me over with such meaningful and true writing.

Book Lovers has it’s share of surprises towards the end, which I rather not talk of here. As the reasons for vacation and other questions get answered, it all starts to add up nicely.

While mostly all is good about this book, the only part where Book Lovers lost marks for me is the excessive raunchiness that it is stuffed with, quite unnecessarily. At the risk of being an unpopular opinion, this is a for me, specially if this is the idea of making a book more salable. It only mars the experience of what could have been such a sweet, simplistic story.

Conclusion:

To answer the question I had initially asked myself, no – this is not a classic small town romance. What makes Book Lovers different from the trope is that it gives you both the views. The two sisters, inseparable yet dreaming of totally different lives. While one sister finds her happiness in the small and quaint town of the trope amidst nature and peace, the other sister dreams of the city life. Her happiness is in the city bustling with energy or the mariachi band in the train.

The last couple of chapters felt like Emily Henry saved the best for the last. For, she seems in full form with such an overflow of heart felt emotions that leave your heart overwhelmed. The perspective on love and what it means is outstanding. It just seems so logical and true. I truly loved the end of this wonderful story.

It is definitely a Yes for this book! Get your copy here and enjoy this lovely summer read.

If you are looking for the classical small town romance check out the Riverside Lane Series by Allison Sherlock.