The idea for this series came to me years ago. I was at the Hamilton Public Library and saw a book by one of the authors who had praised the book I just finished; it was on display being recommended by the staff. I loved that one too and thus the Blurb Project was born. Starting with the first book I read from the Library, I will endeavour to read all the books by authors who are quoted on it in an attempt to see how long it will take for the blurbs to loop around and bring me back where I started (if they ever do). The only limitation is that all the books I review be available at the Hamilton Public Library. I hope you enjoy the ride, I know I will!
Review
“Book Lovers is a masterpiece that will immediately grab you and not let go.” Nathaniel Finestone
Book Lovers tells the story of New York literary agent Nora Stephens as she falls in love with New York literary editor Charlie Lastra while on vacation in rural North Carolina. This stock character might have fallen flat in the hands of a less talented author, but Emily Henry weaves a portrait of a flawed and complicated woman who has sacrificed and worked hard to get where she is, making due with the relatively poor hand she was dealt in life.
As we learn more about her pained backstory through thoughtful inner monologues, we are joined by a rich supporting cast: the happily married sister with kids, the surly local bar owner, the good-looking Shepard (not his job) and several others.
What might have been a predictable fish out of water story calls itself out in clever and surprising ways. Having a main character working in publishing makes Nora’s own self-awareness seem natural and not at all contrived. It also makes it easy for Henry to call out the common rom-com tropes present throughout while outdoing its own genre with originality.
This book’s opening grabbed me in a way that I haven’t encountered for a very long time. From the first page I knew it was a novel I was going to finish, something that doesn’t happen often. If you are partial to contemporary fiction even a little, I recommend giving Book Lovers a try.
