*If you are new here, WELCOME! For Book Lovers, I provide your book club with a brief summary, food ideas and a recipe, and discussion questions in that order!
Emily Henry is making waves in romance. If you didn’t hear of her after her debut, Beach Read, you probably heard about her after the release of People We Meet on Vacation.
And, this summer, everyone was talking about Book Lovers. (Can we appreciate that play on words for a minute?)
I think the reason her books resonate so well is that they are romcoms with depth.
Her love duos always have such great banter. I know if I’m reading her books, I’m going to laugh. And, gosh, that is such a talent and a rare thing.
Beyond that, I’m going to get some romance and a little bit of a personal journey.
Book Lovers was no different. It’s a story about two hard-core publishing professionals who find their way to a small town featured in a best-selling novel. Book + Love = Sold.
But, for me, it was all about the sisters. Nora, the lead character, is dragged to small-town America by her sister, Libby. And, their relationship was just so fun to read. It reminded me so much of my own relationship with my sister. (I’m on a sibling kick lately.)
I really think Emily Henry has a corner on the romance market, especially romcom, so if you haven’t read her yet, you should.
Book Lovers is such a fun book club read. Sometimes book clubs can lean towards serious titles, but I encourage you to check this one out!
I’ve provided book club questions and delicious food ideas for Book Lovers, including a special recipe for you! So if you are looking for book club ideas and more, keep reading!
Check out these fun bookish gadgets…
Here’s a brief summary of Book Lovers:
From the Publisher: “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.”
For Book Lovers Food Ideas and Recipe:
The main characters have a lot of fun making jokes about the food in Sunshine Falls. Still, there was plenty of food mentioned in Book Lovers.
Libby and Nora are both vegetarians, so you could always just bring your favorite vegetarian dish (with a side of Whoppers), but you may for specific food ideas for Book Lovers.
If so, here are a few of the food ideas from the pages of Book Lovers:
- Nora meets Charlie – goat cheese salad and a gin martini
- Nora and Libby are vegetarians and their breakfasts at the cottage are often mentioned – eggs, tempeh, veggie sausage, pancakes
- Other food they cook at the cottage – summer corn and creamy potato salad with chives, salad with shaved watermelon and toasted sesame, grilled tempeh burgers on brioche buns
- Charlie takes Nora to Giacomo’s for dinner – fresh bread, red wine, goat cheese salads, and cacio e pepe
- The cookie Nora and Libby’s mother used to make – corn-lime cookies
- At the fundraiser – “red cows” red soda with ice cream and whipped cream, chocolate pie, rhubarb pie, sugar-dusted pecans, and popcorn
I chose to make Nora and Libby’s mother’s corn lime cookies.
These are very similar to a lime shortbread cookie I made last Thanksgiving that I absolutely loved.
The lime contrasted with the rich butter in the cookie is so delicious. Its a flavor that’s hard to describe and therefore one you keep trying to nail down (i.e. you will down the entire plate just trying to understand why they’re so good).
Trust me when I say you’ll want to double the recipe for your book club!
Whether you choose something from this list or try your own option, I hope these food ideas will get your creative juices flowing to host your book club for Book Lovers!
A few tips on cooking Corn Lime Cookies:
Here are a few tips to help make your cookie experience the best it can be!
1) These cookies spread alot. Make sure to place yours far enough apart and bake a test batch to see how big you like them.
2) If you are making a day ahead, I recommend waiting until the day of to add the icing. Powdered sugar icing can diminish in appearance and taste over time.
3) You can cover the entire top of the cookie like I did, or drizzle the glaze in a zigzag across the top.
Be sure to use these tips on this fabulous recipe when you host your book club for Book Lovers!
Corn Lime Cookies Recipe:
Corn Lime Cookies
Ingredients
Corn Lime Cookies:
- ½ lb butter 2 sticks
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp lime juice approx. 1 lime
- 1 ½ tbsp lime zest approx. 3 limes
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- ½ cup corn meal
Lime Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp lime juice approx. 4 limes
- 1 tbsp lime zest approx. 2 limes
Instructions
- Using an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
- Add the egg, lime juice, and lime zest and mix until combined.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mix and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Add the corn meal and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
- Scoop the dough by the tablespoon and roll into balls. Place two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (Chill any unused dough at the same time).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove the cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and using a cup, swirl the bottom of the cup in flour, then flatten each cookie into a disk.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
- Whisk together the lime glaze ingredients.
- Spoon on to the tops of the cooled cookies.
- Allow the glaze to set before storing.
Book Lovers Book Club Questions:
*WARNING: May contain spoilers!
- What did you think of Nora at the beginning of the book? Did your opinion change by the end of the book?
- Nora is portrayed as a “villain” at the beginning—the cold-hearted, cut-throat other woman in romance stories. Have you ever considered how this character portrays driven women in a negative light? What “villain” from a story would you be most interested in learning more about (hearing their story)?
- Nora and her sister, Libby, visit Sunshine Falls, the setting of Nora’s author’s novel. Have you ever visited any setting from a book that you have loved?
- When Nora and Libby arrive at Sunshine Falls they realize that the actual place doesn’t live up to its fictional counterpart. If you visited a book setting was that the same case for you? Or have you visited a place that was hyped that turned out to be a disappointment?
- What did you think of Charlie? Why do you think he and Nora connected? Do you think they would have connected in the same way in New York?
- Why do you think Nora and Libby saw their mother and New York City in very different ways? How did Nora’s view help her cope with her grief and the demands put on her?
- Discuss how Emily Henry uses humor in the book. Did you ever laugh out loud? What was the funniest part? Did you enjoy Nora and Charlie’s banter more or Nora and Libby’s?
- If you’ve read other Emily Henry books, how did this one compare? Who is another of your favorite romcom authors?
Have you read Book Lovers? What did you think? Did it satisfy you or were you left wishing for more? What are some similar books you’ve read?
Until next time, Happy Reading!
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. In the event of a sale, I will be awarded a small commission (at no extra cost to you or the featured book’s author). All opinions are 100% mine and every book, unless otherwise noted, is handpicked by me to be featured on the site.
Bookish gifts for you or your reader friends!
I’ve loved Emily Henry’s last books profoundly, and I wasn’t any less captivated by this one. This heroine is my favorite she’s ever written!
I love books that make me laugh so much. I thought the sister dynamic and the sparing between the heroine and hero were so much fun!