Book Lovers

4:

Squeezed one last book in right before the end of the year! I like having uneven numbers around, so 31 is just perfect. Also kinda loving my new tendency to read a bunch of books by the same writer and have the very last one be my favorite.

The thing about having read three of her novels in quick succession, though, is that I can't help comparing them all. As I said, this is my favorite! But I noticed that, well when you think about it, the leads in Emily's stories could be interchanged and it wouldn't make a huge difference. This is particularly strong regarding the male leads because Alex, Augustus, and Charlie are all the same brand of scruffy, but secretly-soft-and-sweet grump. And the heroines too. They do have layers to themselves but it's really hard to stop thinking about it.

I did like Nora and Charlie way more. They are hilarious together (in fact this book is very funny, and I guffawed all through it so points for that), and Nora does seem to deviate a bit from Emily's heroine mold. I hoped she'd be a bit bitchier, but I enjoyed her sense of humor, and how she navigated through her inner struggles.

Which leads me to my favorite part of the book! Fuck the romance, I'm here for Nora and Libby doing their damndest to not hurt each other and keep their little family together. I was INVESTED. They loved each other so much and I just... UGH. I got teary once they wore each other out and talked about what they were going through, what they were feeling. And the ending was the cherry on top.

I'll read again if I don't like Happy Place as much when it comes out next year. But I feel this was a good choice to close 2022 with.

Can't wait to see what I'll read in 2023!!