Hello friends! ✌🏻 How are you doing today? Thank you so much for dropping by again. I finally picked up Book Lovers by Emily Henry, and honestly, I do not know why it took me this long. I closed the book with puffy eyes, a warm heart, and the very real urge to hug my sister, so you already know this is going to be a very emotional review from me.
Let’s get straight into it. This was a solid 4⭐ read for me. I loved it. I loved the characters. I loved the writing. I loved the tension. Everything just clicked in that very quiet, comforting way that only Emily Henry seems to pull off.
Our main couple, Nora and Charlie, completely won me over. They are smart. Not in the “I am trying so hard to impress you” way, but in the natural, sharp, quick banter way that feels so refreshing. One thing I appreciated is that they are not total opposites. They actually share similar views on life, success, ambition, responsibility, and the pressure of being the “one who holds everything together.” It made the romance feel grounded and real, like two people finally meeting someone who understands the way their brain works.
And Charlie. Oh Charlie. The man is incredibly charming without trying to be charming. He works hard, he knows what he wants, and all that cool, stiff energy hides the warmest, most caring heart. I adored the family setting in his life too. His relationship with his parents and how he positions himself within their bookstore made him even more lovable. You can tell how much he carries on his shoulders and how deeply he loves the people around him.
The tension between Nora and Charlie was everything I hoped for. Funny, smart, comforting, and full of those little moments that make you want to stop reading just to giggle at your screen. And oh boy, did I cry. I cried before the end, at the end, and a few times in between. They both try so hard to be whole, not perfect, just whole. Despite trauma, despite fear, despite guilt, despite how life shaped them. Nora losing everything as a child, Charlie being the “different one” of his family with his stern eyes and adorable pout… it all added so much depth.
But the thing that destroyed me emotionally was Nora and Libby. Their relationship is one of the best sister portrayals I have read in a long time. As someone who also has a younger sister, and who also had to be the responsible one, the parental figure at times, the one who worries too much, I felt every single emotion between them. It was tender, painful, honest, and comforting. Their scenes made me pause, breathe, and then continue with tears in my eyes.
Overall Book Lovers is beautifully written and full of heart. It is funny, emotional, smart, and warm in all the right places. If you love romance with real people, real love, and real healing, this book will hit your soul in the best possible way.
Until next time, take care friends! 🌷
Luster of Books 