Challenge Corner discussion

One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming…

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

**This BOTM thread will be open until June 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

Starting this now!

Prologue: (view spoiler)[Already getting the plot of every kind of Hallmark movie vibe right now. Let's go! (hide spoiler)]

Ch 1-10: (view spoiler)[I also don't like maple syrup but I do like the bantering between these two. Also, two full time jobs? Meh. Don't want that. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 11-20: (view spoiler)[The tension between these two is hard to ignore. Also, I'm dying over that play. I would be crying from laughing so hard. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 21-33: (view spoiler)[It really does suck and I have feeling that they will get through this. I mean, they have to - right? (hide spoiler)]

Ch 34-Finish: (view spoiler)[Okay, these two were super cute. I swooned a little with the "I can read you like a book" towards the end. Nora is basically my spirit animal and I absolutely adored her. (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[I also want a trip away from work like this one with a bucketlists too! And I really like books mentioning other books! It makes me wanna add it to my ever growing tbr lists! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ I’m not loving this one at all. I love the banter. The Bigfoot Erotic was funny. But I just don’t like Charlie or Nora. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 1-14
(view spoiler)[ I was looking so forward to reading this book! I’m just not loving it yet. I don’t hate it but I don’t love it. I love the banter but just don’t get Nora. She’s described as a “shark” but I’m not seeing that. I’m seeing more of a goofy character. I wish they showed us more of her life in NYC or at work before she left on vacation so that it’s more believable, I just feel like we’re being told she’s a shark instead of shown it. Also why is she always panicking about where her sister is?! (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[Oh the tension between Charlie and Nora! And who's this new character Sheperd? Hmm Im also curious about Libby and Brendan! (hide spoiler)]

Carissa wrote: "Chapters 1-14
[spoilers removed]"

I just finished chapter 15 (view spoiler)[but I completely agree about the shark thing. She seems way more concerned about her sister and Dusty to be considered a shark. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21
(view spoiler)[ ok I thought Charlie was so sweet in this chapter! I loved all the things he was saying to Nora as they were standing in his childhood bedroom with his race car bed. But…. I still just don’t get their relationship. I feel like for him to saying all these sweet things to her, you’d think they’d known each other way longer…. But it’s been what? 2 weeks? He’s pretty much telling her he loves her haha. I don’t understand why I can’t follow along with this lol (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 25
(view spoiler)[ “I once had a sex dream about the green M&m.” - Charlie
Omg I’m dying 😂😂😂 (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 28

(view spoiler)[ omg I can’t believe I didn’t realize the reason Charlie couldn’t start a relationship with Nora is because he’s not going back to New York. ALL THE CLUES were there and I didn’t piece it together. Charlie having an apartment, his sister being in Italy, an editor job suddenly becoming available… I just thought he didn’t wanna be with her because they’d be working together as editors when they went back lol . (hide spoiler)]

Chap 21 (view spoiler)[This is my fave chapter so far! Omg! Charlie is so sweet! Every little things about Nora! And of course the race car bed! (hide spoiler)]

Started this

(view spoiler)[Getting the feel that it might be typical enemies to lover romance but with bookish quotes! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3
(view spoiler)[Already loving the banter between Nora and Charlie haha (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21 (view spoiler)[This makes me like Charlie! He was so sweet to Nora! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 17
(view spoiler)[ noooo i dont want to see Nora with Shepherd, get me Charlie!!!! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21
(view spoiler)[AAAHHHH CHARLIE!! He's so gooood (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 24
(view spoiler)[I am loving their connection! (hide spoiler)]

Finished
(view spoiler)[My heart is full. I loved the Happy ending!!!! (hide spoiler)]

100% (view spoiler)[ Im glad that everything workout with Charlie and Nora! A happy ending it is! (hide spoiler)]

Starting now :)

Prologue

(view spoiler)[
I think this will be pretty stereotypical enemies to lovers, but plus books! Hopefully not too much sex for my sake lol (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[I really lost interested in this towards the last half of the book. I'm glad everyone got their happy ending though and Libby wasn't planning on getting a divorce, but I feel like Nora was overreacting. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 1-10 (view spoiler)[ Nora has worked really hard to help Libby and I love their sisterly bond. She's also learned to curb her real personality and I like that Charlie can take her barbs and throw them back (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 1-10: [spoilers removed]"

Yeah, that's really tough

Kira wrote: "Chapter 3
[spoilers removed]"

Their banter is the best

Ch 11-20 (view spoiler)[ I don't know why they can't be together. They have so much chemistry, but she keeps going on dates with other guys.

I think Libby is divorcing her husband and that sucks. Especially since she's pregnant with her third baby (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 11-20: [spoilers removed]"

THE PLAY!! dead

Christene Paula wrote: "25% [spoilers removed]"

The bucket list sounds like so much fun

Ch 21-30 (view spoiler)[ A lot happened here. I'm really glad Nora told Charlie about her past and let him behind the wall. I also don't want Charlie to give up a job he loves and think it's unfair for his family to expect him to run the store.

Nora shouldn't have unloaded on Libby, especially since it wasn't her fault Nora gave up a job she wanted. I do understand why she felt she had to put Libby before her wants.

I also can't understand if Libby and her husband are divorcing or what. (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 21-33: [spoilers removed]"

They'd better!

Christene Paula wrote: "Chap 21 [spoilers removed]"

Very cute part for sure

Alaina wrote: "Ch 34-Finish: [spoilers removed]"

Reading books as part of work is a dream job!

Christene Paula wrote: "100% [spoilers removed]"

So happy that you liked it!

Kira wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

Definitely cute

Aly wrote: "Ch 1-10 [spoilers removed]"

Chapters 1-10 (view spoiler)[
I thought the banter was great; they're very cute, although it's obvious which way this will end up... I liked the relationship with Libby from the start too. (hide spoiler)]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 11-20: [spoilers removed]"

THE PLAY!! dead"

Chapters 11-20 (view spoiler)[

I was convinced Libby and her husband were breaking up too :( And I did NOT like her going on a date with Shepherd...

The play was funny - but also in a 'you had to be there' kind of way - I didn't really need to hear that much about it considering we haven't read the book.

Dusty is so neurotic! - I hope I'm not that bad when I'm a star author ;) lol (hide spoiler)]

Chap 21 -30 (view spoiler)[

It was really out of order for Nora to blame Libby for her not going after that editing job. She made a choice - yeah, it was a difficult one, but that's what you do for people you love. It really annoyed me.

Also, a load happened in this section - so much opening up! This book literally makes me feel like a complete failure because I'm almost Nora's age and haven't quite finished my first degree, had a serious relationship, moved out, done bloody ANYTHING with my sodding life.

I was feeling pretty down today and took it out on the book, as you can see lol. At this point I was totally gunning for everything going tits up hehe (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[

the HEA was just too cutesy and perfect for me. I guess I'm not a romantic at heart (haven't had the chance to find out) and when you're feeling sorry for yourself reading a book like this is the worst.

I think it was pretty well written though, and it kept me engaged - as well as missing some pretty obvious clues! Enjoyed banter and books. (hide spoiler)]

Today is the LAST day to comment on this thread.

4% (view spoiler)[ I'm so excited! The self-awareness in this book makes me so excited to see how she'll subvert some of the small town romance tropes. (hide spoiler)]

24% read (view spoiler)[ I love how Emily Henry's book make me feel all the feelings. I keep laughing and smiling at the banter between Nora with Libby and Charlie. But I also feel some of the second-hand hurt from reading how Dusty views Nora like a shark.

Idk I can understand where Nora is coming from so I just want her to get her happy ending (hide spoiler)]

47% (view spoiler)[ lmao I love how even though we have our main pairing, there's still the small town man who (probably won't) win her heart (hide spoiler)]

60% read (view spoiler)[ So much happened! I can't believe Sheperd and Charlie are related.

But more importantly, yikes.... Libby has a surprisingly jaded memory of their childhood and her sister. They really need to talk. (hide spoiler)]

80% read (view spoiler)[ Yikes... I'm glad Libby is okay but what bad timing to faint.

But I'm glad they were able to have an honest conversation and air out the secrets between them. They definitely hadn't been seeing how their choices were unconsciously affecting each other. (hide spoiler)]

100% (view spoiler)[ The ending kind of got to me. Nora and Charlie are kind of resigned to what they have and trying to enjoy, but it's so sad because they truly bring out the best in each other. They both lived their lives for others in some way and it's so powerful to see them choosing a way to have it all. (hide spoiler)]