Operation TikTok: Romance and Rivalry in Small Town, USA
Review of Book Lovers
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Every other Saturday, when I can afford it, I head to the hair salon, sitting for hours while my hair is pulled, brushed, combed, twisted, washed, dried, and styled. In the background, the latest over-the-top, crazy stalker movie on Lifetime or sickeningly sweet romance on the Hallmark network is playing on the television. I often roll my eyes at both, choosing instead to take a nap or read a book while I’m under the hair dryer. Why such contempt for TV movies? The acting in those Lifetime movies is often ATROCIOUS and the lines are incredibly cringeworthy. And in my opinion, every Hallmark movie seems like a carbon copy of the last.
A driven career woman or man, usually from New York or Los Angeles, because they grow on trees there (insert sarcasm here), is drawn back to their small hometown in the middle of nowhere. Towns where everyone knows each other, including deeply personal details. The career-driven man or woman must put everything on hold to save the struggling family business. Back in their native environment, this person inevitably learns the “true” meaning of life, hint it’s not located in the big city, and falls in love with the most beautiful and emotionally broken person in town. Maybe that’s not every Hallmark movie, but it’s pretty close.
My point with this lengthy preamble? Many telltale Hallmark movie tropes are in Book Lovers by Emily Henry. Several reviews I read about this book said the tropes work in this book. As part of my ongoing Operation TikTok series, I gave Book Lovers a whirl. Plus, the main characters are lovers of books and I’m a sucker for stories like this.
Nora Stephens is a busy, successful literary agent. When she’s not fighting the good fight for her clients, Nora obsesses over her little sister, Libby. Even though Libby is a grown, married woman, with two small children and a third on the way, Nora believes it’s her responsibility to fix her sister’s problems. The death of their mother more than a decade ago forced Nora into the role of parent. In the immediate aftermath, Libby needed a shoulder to cry on and someone to guide her. But along the way, Libby grew up and forged her own life—something Nora can’t or won’t see. Nora puts her own dreams aside because Libby’s needs take priority. She didn’t pursue her dream job of being a book editor because it didn’t pay as much as being an agent. The extra money was needed to put Libby through school and fund her dreams. What little time there is for romance, never ends well for big sister.
Nora is not the career-driven woman who moves out of the big city and finds love in Small Town, USA. No. She is the woman who gets dumped by the career-driven man who found his true passion and love of his life in Small Town, USA. Romance is low on the totem pole as Nora’s most successful client, Dusty Fielding, is finishing up a novel that’s destined to be an instant hit. The only caveat is Nora will have to work with her perceived nemesis, editor Charlie Lastra—a man who once passed on an earlier book by Dusty.
What could go wrong? Hijinks must ensue for this book to work.
Where does the Hallmark element come in?
Now expecting her third child, Libby craves a girl’s trip. Some time away from being a full-time mom. Plus, Libby has a list of things to do, including making sure Nora experiences what she’s been missing—a small-town romance. Yes, they vacation in a small town. The same one Charlie is from. Of course, he’s going to be there, too, otherwise there would be no point to this book!
The Good
No insta-love: Charlie and Nora don’t instantly fall in love, which I greatly appreciate. Yes, authors let your characters get to know each other before sexy times.
Funny banter: Charlie and Nora have a lot of funny and witty conversations, including a text exchange about Bigfoot erotica. Beyond the humor, they have deeper conversations about death and family obligations—making them more alike than they care to realize.
The Good and Bad
Relationship between Libby and Nora: These sisters have been through a lot together, the death of their mother and an absentee father. But they also know how to have fun together, bonding often over movies and books. That’s the good part of their relationship. The bad part? Lack of boundaries! There are soooo many instances of this, mostly on Nora’s part. It’s a skill neither masters until they are forced to. I don’t want to give away too much, but both are afraid to make decisions for their own lives for fear of upsetting the other or for fear of not being available for the other.
In the end, love wins because of course this is like a Hallmark movie, we need a happy ending. I had my doubts happiness would prevail, as there are signs throughout that the book would go another way. Read the book if you want to know how!
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