Nora Stephens loves books so much, she joined a New York firm as a literary agent.  She’s hard at work when we first meet her, trying to recover from being dumped – again – and pushing her book at a not-so-interested editor, Charlie Lastra. The two BOOK LOVERS have different origins and personalities, but even though this first meeting isn’t a success, they are moving in a small literary circle.

Two years later, workaholic Nora joins her married, expecting younger sister Libby on a girls’ vacation in Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. Visiting a small-town holiday spot has its downsides, like the lack of Wi-Fi anywhere but a bookstore, but it’s relaxing. Or it would be, if Nora didn’t spot laid-back Charlie Lastra in the coffee shop. What are the odds? He didn’t like the book Nora was agenting which was set in Sunshine Falls. What is he doing here, and will he believe he’s not being stalked? What’s more, it turns out Libby is hiding some issues too.

Nora loves the city where she grew up, and wryly sees herself as the other side of the coin from the romance book trope. The story where the city worker is sent to a town on some assignment and ends up throwing over the job and marrying a local resident. I’ve read that one from the male and female point of view, and sure enough, a romantic partner, past or present, represents city life. But books are agented and edited in New York, and every street has some memory of Nora’s late mom, so she has no intention of leaving. Many people do tire of urban lifestyles, and bring a wealth of experience with them when they move away, but others prefer the amenities and services in a city. This recognisable dilemma is played out against the backdrop of the slow-burn romance.

I don’t know if all literary agents send strings of cheeky, even disrespectful e-mails to editors who work for other firms. I would not have thought it likely. I can only ascribe this behaviour to giddiness from being on vacation in the tranquil, anonymous and caffeine-depleted town. I actually don’t find strings of other people’s texts and mails fascinating, but maybe New Yorkers live by them. Be prepared for more than the average amount of such, throughout the book. This slows down the story, which already has no drama or challenge; it’s a vacation. The conflict is mainly internal as Nora comes to terms with changes in her life and considers hitting a reset button. Author Emily Henry previously wrote People We Meet On Vacation, a Goodreads Awards winner, and deserves some kudos for bringing an office romance, Bridget Jones style, to the small town. BOOK LOVERS can be happy anywhere, but nowadays, they can’t be happy without Wi-Fi.