One cannot read an Emily Henry book without laughing out loud. Her biting wit and highly intelligent characters have created quite a following these past few years. Her female characters are educated, funny, flawed, and often make life decisions that…could be better. The men are often sharp and closed off, but with great potential when the right woman comes along. The banter between the sexes usually evolves from scathing and competitive to civil to friendly to more. The steamy level is medium to low, but there is some steam in every book.
BEACH READ, published in 2020, is my favorite of Emily Henry’s three contemporary novels. It’s promoted as a rom-com, but there is actually a lot of depth to this story. January Andrews, a romance writer in a slump, learns about her father’s infidelity after his death. She inherits a beach house he used for his affair, planning to sell it. While cleaning it out she discovers that her neighbor is literary giant, Augustus Everett. He was also her rival in college. They strike a deal to stir up their creativity. January will write a dark, brooding book in Gus’s style and he will write a romance. The first one who sells their book is the winner. There is some wonderful dialogue with unexpected depth. 9/10 Stars
PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION, published in 2021, follows the “friends to more” formula. Poppy and Alex are best friends. She is a travel writer who now lives in New York. He is a high school teacher who stayed behind in their Midwest hometown. They have little in common except a shared history that’s lasted decades and their annual vacations together. This year the destination is less exotic Palm Springs, California. Everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. But those challenges bring out some hidden feelings too. Again, great characters. 8.5/10 Stars
BOOK LOVERS, Henry’s 2022 novel, introduces us to literary agent Nora Stephens. While coddling one of her writers into meeting a deadline, she has to deal with a new publisher, Charlie Lastra, known for his no-nonsense approach. Nora agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, the setting for her client’s books, hoping to cultivate some ideas. She takes her pregnant sister, Libby, and they discover that it is Charlie’s hometown. In addition, he’s there helping his family through some hard times. Seeing him in his natural setting, with old friends and family, changes things. Very cute. 8/10 Stars
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