Happy Place by Emily Henry

Breakups are hard. Breakups are especially hard when you're part of a tight-knit group of friends. Friends who get together often at the place that Harriet considers her happy place. But now she's going to ruin their happy place because Harriet and Wyn are no longer together. They actually broke up six months ago but didn't tell anyone. Now she's on vacation with their friends alone. But hers isn't the only big news; the cottage is for sale and their weeks of halcyon vacation days are about to be over. 

There was a lot of anxiety built into this book: Am I enough for the other person? For my group of friends? And, while we saw a bit of "past Wyn," I would have liked to see more of "present time Wyn;" just a little more romance. Or maybe more of the friendships. Henry has beautiful writing but also strong character connections and this book revolved more around Harriet than anything else. 

Three stars

This book comes out April 25, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

This book has gotten some delightful reviews and there is a good reason why. Henry has created a book that I think regular romance readers and newbies alike can enjoy. The book touches on so many of them and then upends them in a way that feels right for these characters.

The book opens with first person narrator, Nora Stephens, book agent, opining on the types of romantic tropes. She herself has been a part of no fewer than four instances where a big city-type goes away to the country and falls for some woman there, leaving behind theuptight ex in New York. Unfortunately, Nora is the uptight ex. But she is good at her job so why would she need to change? Especially when one of her clients is just about to hit the best seller lists. No matter what editor Charlie Lastra says about the book.

After that book does turn into a mega-hit, Nora's sister, Libby, asks Nora to go to the small town outside of Asheville where the book was based. Libby is pregnant with her third child and just wants to get away. For an entire month. Nora makes the arrangements to telework for that time and heads out. She and her sister, usually so in sync, have been out of a good rhythm lately and maybe this is a way to solve it. While there, Libby insists that they create a list of things to do while they are there. Nora reluctantly agrees because, really, most of the things on that list are things that only Nora can do. Like go out on at least two dates. What makes it even worse is that somehow, the town that the book was based on, is Charlie Lastra's home town. And he's back there, working in his parent's bookstore (apparently the only place in town with working Wi-Fi). He's all smolder-y and handsome and gets Nora's snarky sense of humor. He even admires that she's a shark. 

Of course, there are a few miscommunications that derail the Happy Ending but it does all work out. And even if I would've liked getting to know Charlie just a little better, this was a fabulous read and I look forward to more books from this author.

Five stars

This book came out May 3, 2022

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Beach Read by Emily Henry

When two authors, both with writer's block, live next door to each other for the summer, will they be able to help each other through? Short answer, yes. Longer answer, there is a history between the two authors than the blurb demands. And did we need to have that backstory? I don't know. It built on their history but it took up pages that could have gone to developing their current relationship. Usually I like a second chance romance but this book almost would have been better without it so the readers could have discovered the romance along with the main characters. The beginning dragged a bit (our romance writing heroine has had her happy-ever-after-believing soul shaken twice recently; both stories are ruminated on a lot but wrapped up oddly quickly) and the end could have developed a bit more (though I did like the image of linked Happy-For-Right-Nows rather than an HEA) but the middle was a lovely story of two people falling slowly in love.
I always wonder if stories like this come from someone who had writer's block but overall, a nice story with some interesting glimpses into the life of a writer.

Three stars
This book comes out May 19th
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own