📖 Overview
Librarian Daphne finds her world upended when her ex-fiancé begins dating her close friend. In a twist of fate, she meets Miles, whose ex-girlfriend is now seeing Daphne's former fiancé, creating an unexpected connection between them.
The story takes place in Michigan, where Daphne and Miles navigate their complicated relationship status while managing their respective careers and personal lives. Their shared experience of watching their exes find happiness together creates both tension and opportunity.
The novel explores themes of second chances, the unpredictable nature of relationships, and how life's disappointments can lead to unexpected joy. The story examines how people heal from heartbreak and find the courage to trust again.
👀 Reviews
Book not yet released - publishes April 23, 2024. Only limited advance reader reviews available.
Early readers note strong character development and chemistry between the leads. Several reviewers highlight the book's humor and emotional depth, with one Goodreads reviewer stating it "balances comedy and heartache."
Some readers mention it starts slower than Henry's previous works.
Current ratings (pre-release):
Goodreads: 4.5/5 (based on 300+ early reviews)
Amazon: Not yet available
BookishFirst: 4.6/5 (based on 30+ reader first impressions)
Note: Current reviews are primarily from advance reader copies. More comprehensive reader feedback will be available after the book's release.
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The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary Two exes find themselves stuck in a car together on the way to a wedding, forcing them to confront their past relationship.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry A literary agent and editor who share a complicated history must work together in a small town while dealing with their sisters' matchmaking attempts.
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon Two public radio co-hosts who dislike each other pretend to be exes for a relationship advice show and develop real feelings.
Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters A screenwriter's assistant recreates meet-cutes from romance movies to prove they can work in real life while developing feelings for the cynical man who witnesses her attempts.
The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary Two exes find themselves stuck in a car together on the way to a wedding, forcing them to confront their past relationship.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry A literary agent and editor who share a complicated history must work together in a small town while dealing with their sisters' matchmaking attempts.
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon Two public radio co-hosts who dislike each other pretend to be exes for a relationship advice show and develop real feelings.
Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters A screenwriter's assistant recreates meet-cutes from romance movies to prove they can work in real life while developing feelings for the cynical man who witnesses her attempts.
🤔 Interesting facts
🎭 The book's Michigan setting mirrors Emily Henry's own roots - she's a proud Midwesterner who grew up in Cincinnati and now calls the Great Lakes region home.
📚 Author Emily Henry made her adult romance debut with "Beach Read" in 2020, which quickly became a #1 New York Times bestseller and catapulted her to romance genre stardom.
📖 The protagonist being a librarian connects to a growing trend in contemporary romance novels featuring bookish main characters, with over 50 romance titles published in the last five years starring librarians or bookstore owners.
💑 The plot structure involving exes dating each other's exes is known as a "relationship quadrangle" - a less common variation of the love triangle trope that appears in less than 1% of published romance novels.
🌟 The book continues Emily Henry's tradition of incorporating humor into serious themes - a style that earned her previous novel "Book Lovers" recognition as one of NPR's Best Books of 2022.