I really enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book. The story is about five weddings, in which Lily is a bridesmaid, and the preparations for the weddings. NoI really enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book. The story is about five weddings, in which Lily is a bridesmaid, and the preparations for the weddings. Not my area of interest, but I thought it was entertaining to read about all the situations Lily found herself in, the family and friends relationships, and her blog posts.
(view spoiler)[I expected some drama when everyone finds out about her blog in the last third of the story, but I didn't like how it went. I do feel that Lily was unfair towards her sister Amy and her future sister-in-law. But her friends (especially Caryn), including some bridesmaids, were awful to her – body shaming her and making her spend money she doesn't have on their ridiculous demands. And she just let them, trying to make everyone happy, and never standing up for herself. She only had her blog to vent about it. I guess what she wrote in her blog wasn't nice, but for me it balanced out how the other people treated her. So no, I didn't see any reason why Lily should apologize to any of her friends. It should have been the other way around.
Another thing that really bothered me was Alex. He is so wonderful throughout most of the story and I really liked their friendship. Then we have a third act breakup, even though they are not in a relationship. I was so disappointed with how he acted after finding out about the blog. He was ready to erase months of friendship, and attraction to Lily, for what?
I knew all along that it wasn't Justin she was with. That's pretty obvious. But we also find out that on that night nothing happened between Alex and her. I honestly don't get why he never mentioned anything to her, yet gets angry because she never told him about Justin – which, by the way, there was nothing to tell since it didn't happen. And her friend Megan also knew who the shirt belonged to and had to know it wasn't Justin that Lily was with, but she kept it from her and even told her to stay away from Alex. What kind of friend does that?
This could have been a 4-star read, but the last third ruined it for me. Giving it generous 3 stars for the part of the book that kept me entertained and an enjoyable audio version. (hide spoiler)]...more
I had so much fun reading this. Beverly is one of the best female characters I have come across in a while. Actually, I can't say who I loved4.5 stars
I had so much fun reading this. Beverly is one of the best female characters I have come across in a while. Actually, I can't say who I loved more, her or her mother. I love reading about such strong female characters who are both smart and funny. Their relationship is perfect.
The side characters are pretty great, too. I loved Bev's relationship with her dad, the dynamic between Bev and Michael, her feisty best friend Nancy, and probably my favourite – grumpy Stuart. Loved the banter between him and Bev.
The story is set in 1962 and I really enjoyed the historical and political aspect of it, the Jewish representation, the humor, a bit of romance, and how the life of women was explored when it comes to marriage, parenting and career....more
This is one of those quiet, slow-paced books that seem simple on the surface level, but it surprises with the complexity and range of topics it coversThis is one of those quiet, slow-paced books that seem simple on the surface level, but it surprises with the complexity and range of topics it covers, even if it gets philosophical at times.
The writing is beautiful and it creates a very heartwarming and comforting atmosphere. There's so much love here for books, the bookshop and all the characters whose lives we follow. There's coffee, knitting, book events, book talks, friendships and so much more.
The title and the cover couldn't have been more perfect. ...more
For a book that deals with quite a few heavy topics, this feels very uplifting. The writing is beautiful and the characters are well developed and comFor a book that deals with quite a few heavy topics, this feels very uplifting. The writing is beautiful and the characters are well developed and complex. They are flawed and messy, but I loved their conversations, the connections they built and the impact they had on each other's lives.
Helen Laser did a wonderful job narrating this book and bringing all the characters to life....more
I will start by saying that I don't understand why the blurb states that this is a romantic comedy. It's definitely not. Even calling it a ro4.5 stars
I will start by saying that I don't understand why the blurb states that this is a romantic comedy. It's definitely not. Even calling it a romance is a stretch. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised by what I got vs. what I expected. But I do feel that calling this story a rom-com does it a disservice. Those who prefer something closer to women's fiction won't pick it up, and those who are looking for something light, fluffy or smutty will be disappointed.
There are romantic elements here, but the story is so much more than that. It explores complex relationships between friends and family, adulthood, career choices and battling life's ups and downs, and it's deeper and more emotional than one would expect based on the cover.
The relationship between Natalie and Rob develops very slowly in the course of 10 years and it's mostly filled with animosity, starting with the fact that Rob rated Natalie's book one star. The only thing they have in common are their respective best friends. They lead their own lives and are in relationships with other people, and they only meet when their best friends celebrate something.
I can't even say that I particularly liked either of them at the beginning, but I very quickly became fully invested in their stories and their conversations. I loved their conversations. As they started to slowly grow fond of each other, but not without bumps in the road, so did I. The same goes for Rob's best friend Angus who slowly became my favourite character in this book.
I don't know what happened here. This must be the most boring and unromantic story I've read in a while. I felt no connection to it or the characters.I don't know what happened here. This must be the most boring and unromantic story I've read in a while. I felt no connection to it or the characters.
Shiloh irritated me to no end. I couldn't stand her and I have no idea why Cary loved her. She is awful to him and ruins most of their conversations with her tantrums. Not that I think that Cary is that much better. The intimate scenes are extremely cringey.
Another thing that didn't work for me were the timelimes. The 'now' happens chronologically, mostly. However, the 'before' jumps around across their highschool years, college and their adult years with no clear direction. It feels random, disjointed and all over the place. That's what the relationship between Shiloh and Cary feels like, too. If you can call it that.
The story is way too long. There's no real plot here and it feels very repetitive. I only finished it because of the audiobook....more
The premise of this book sounded interesting and, even though I couldn't connect to Takako's character, I enjoyed the first part that takes p2.5 stars
The premise of this book sounded interesting and, even though I couldn't connect to Takako's character, I enjoyed the first part that takes place in the bookshop. I started losing interest in the second part that centers more around her uncle's wife.
My main complaint is that I found the writing simplistic and the characters rather flat. There was no depth in their relationships and conversations. Not sure if it's the writing style or the translation. It's not a long book and I listened to it on audio, but it still felt like it took me a long time to get through it.
I haven't had much luck with this author's books before, but the premise for this one intrigued me and I'm so glad I decided to give it a try, becauseI haven't had much luck with this author's books before, but the premise for this one intrigued me and I'm so glad I decided to give it a try, because I enjoyed it a lot. Needless to say, it's my favourite by Emily Henry so far.
It wasn't perfect by any means. It felt melancholic and a bit sappy at times, but I was fully invested in it from the start. I really liked all the six characters. I loved reading about their friendship and relationships. They were complicated and messy and they felt so real.
The story is told in two timelines and I loved that we got to see how the relationship between Harriet and Wyn developed. There was a lot of miscommunication between them but, as frustrating as it was, I kind of get it. I was very happy with how the story ended. Wyn is lovely....more
Mixed feelings about this book. I have to say that I enjoyed it when I started it and it was going well for a while. I liked the diverse cast2.5 stars
Mixed feelings about this book. I have to say that I enjoyed it when I started it and it was going well for a while. I liked the diverse cast of characters and it was fun watching Mika work with the girls.
As the story progressed it started to fizzle out for me. It was a bit repetitive at times and predictable, and there wasn't much character development. The overall premise reminded me too much of The House in the Cerulean Sea. I love that one, but this one pales in comparison.
The romance part didn't work for me at all. It felt forced and I didn't feel any chemistry between Mika and Jamie. The s*x scene came out of nowhere. It felt cringey and I don't think it fit with this type of story.
This was my first read by this author and I'm not sold on the writing style, to be honest. It feels kind of simplistic and childish at times.
This is unlike anything I've read before. It's beautifully written, atmospheric and thought-provoking.
I agree with everyone who says that it's best tThis is unlike anything I've read before. It's beautifully written, atmospheric and thought-provoking.
I agree with everyone who says that it's best to go into this book knowing as little about it as possible. Yes, I felt lost when I started it, but I was also intrigued, and it was incredibly rewarding to watch the story slowly unfold.
Piranesi is one of the most precious characters I've ever read about....more
This was a very interesting story. I really liked Part I, even with all the talk about golf and fountain pens. The idea beh**spoiler alert** 3.5 stars
This was a very interesting story. I really liked Part I, even with all the talk about golf and fountain pens. The idea behind Adam being perfect at playing golf was intriguing and I was invested to see how he would decide between doing what he is best at, but doesn't really care about, and doing what he loves, which is creative writing. I enjoyed his conversations about books and creative writing with Bobbie, his professor and coach. I also really liked his relationship with Alli and the story they were writing together.
At the end of Part I the story takes an unexpected turn that I didn't like, to be honest. It just felt odd and even though I'm fine with how it affected the rest of the story, it could have happened differently.
I generally liked how the story progressed in Parts II and III. My only complaints are that things went too easily for Adam, and what he did to help the publishing company felt like using his celebrity status for his own work too, which is something he never wanted to do.
Fun fact. From the point the book was written, the last few chapters take place in the near future and the very last chapter is dated May, 2022, which is when I read the book. Obviously, I didn't know about that going in, but I thought it was a fun coincidence....more
I'm so glad I finally decided to give this book a try because it was amazing. I was initially hesitant because of the subject it deals with, 4.5 stars
I'm so glad I finally decided to give this book a try because it was amazing. I was initially hesitant because of the subject it deals with, but then I sampled the audiobook and it was so good that I just kept listening.
This is a very emotional and complex story. Although it revolves around hockey, it also explores many different topics such as parenthood, friendship, abuse, loyalty, courage, justice, peer pressure, what it means to be a part of the community, and so many more.
I absolutely loved the writing style. The story is told from many different POVs, I'd say as many as there are characters in the book, but each character was so distinct and well-developed that I never felt lost. They grabbed me right from the start and I loved learning about their lives and having an insight into their thoughts and feelings.
I loved the audiobook. I think that Marin Ireland did a fantastic job narrating this story. It was so easy to follow and listen to....more
I liked the first half or so, but then I got a bit tired of all the references to google, wiki and such. The way the mysOverall, this was a fun read.
I liked the first half or so, but then I got a bit tired of all the references to google, wiki and such. The way the mystery was solved in the end didn't wow me, but I quite liked the epilogue. ...more