Read and Review: Book Lovers

Verse of the day:

Perspective can sometimes be a fairly calloused thing when you think about it. Emily Henry's "Book Lovers" allowed me to see the classic Hallmark story from the view of the ones left behind when the main characters get their happily ever after. I must confess that I've always made fun of the trade mark blonde/brunette, high ranking female/male meets small town beauty that realizes life is more than paperwork and rushing out of coffee shops with burnt tongues. I'd never really thought about the person that gets dumped for the small town beauty, how it would have been to receive a phone call on their way to a business meeting and being told they were being left behind for something less that was worth more in their eyes. I was amused and saddened at the notion of this.

My thoughts: I found it to be delightfully ironic and entertaining. It must be confessed that my mockery of the classic Hallmark romance tropes being made fun by the OTHER woman was every bit as refreshing as it was thought provoking. I wouldn't consider this an enemy to lovers troupe, more so a slow-burn romance with lots of spicy tension. (seriously, there are some scenes that had my nose buried in the pages with anxiety...in a good way!) ;). It was tastefully written to entertain with many underlying messages and themes I enjoyed..... one of those things being: We always cheer the happily ever after of the couple at the end, but there ARE other stories that aren't considered....like that of the woman left behind or the man that may have felt short-sighted. It's a lot to contemplate.

I give it 9/10 Quills (I'm taking a point for emotional damage!)