Thank you so much to Berkley Romance & PRH Audio for the advance copy of this book!

This book will be out on April 22nd.

How does one begin to write a review for Emily Henry?

Does she automatically get 5 Stars? Not quite but she hasn't let me down yet
Do I think she is capable of writing a bad book? Mehhhh perhaps? - but it's not this one
Did this become my favorite EmeHen book? Sorry it can't beat Funny Story in my heart
Is it true this is like Evelyn Hugo? Absolutely but also different

What I loved about this one compared to other Emily books is that we did get two storylines going at the same time. And I couldn't tell ya which one I was becoming more invested in. When I was in the current timeline I was foaming at the mouth at the banter and the relationship between Alice and Hayden. But then we would switch to Margaret's story and I would be so enthralled into the backstory of an heiress.

Alice was probably her most playful character. There were multiple time I found myself laughing at her antics. She was just so confident and you just can't help but to smile at any of her interactions with the other characters we meet. Even her relationship with Hayden, he had no desire to be friendly but she just charmed his pants off (literally). Hayden was a little rough around the edges but we learn why he is the way he is and how his guards just fall down when it comes to Alice. He was just so smitten and she was equally as smitten. Also you will never hear me complain when we get a "there's a thunderstorm and we are stranded together" moment (okay maybe not quite stranded but when you read you'll know what I mean).

Several reader friends were not happy with this book because they felt like it was more women's fiction than romance. And I really wanted to say, is this your first Emily Henry book? All of her books always had *more* to the storyline than just the couple. And honestly we technically had two romance stories in the book. In addition to Alice and Hayden, we do get to read about how Margaret falls for her husband Cosmo.

Margaret was an interesting character! We do learn the reasoning why she is deciding to tell her story at this point in her life and I was happy that we got to hear the story especially after knowing the reason. If you do not know I love all things pop culture and Hollywood, so being put into this glamorous life of Margaret Ives was right up my alley. Through the interview with Alice, Margaret tells the story of her family's beginnings and how the Ives created their empire. I was very invested because a classic author move, they leave the chapters open ended and you have to keeping reading in order to get to the next interview chapter.

I read 75% of this book with my eyes but I had to listen to some of the audio just to hear Queen Julia Whelan's narration. Once again she does a great job and I loved her voice for Margaret! She brought Margaret's sassy, vulnerable but also bosslike tone come across. And just like she has done in all the other Emily books, Hayden's voice is still swoony!

I don't think I need to convince you to read Emily Henry but if you haven't already then what are you waiting for!!! A lot of people have said if you enjoyed Happy Place, this may be a new favorite. I don't want to compare it to others of hers but I think if you are looking for more than just a romance, this may be the one for you.

PS - I do not know where this will fall in the line up of her books. Perhaps I will start a new ranking starting with this release and then her next 4. We will see!

Some of my favorite quotes:
"Even if you're the one to build the monster, you're never going to be able to control it.
It'll gladly eat you alive and floss your bones, once its finished with everyone else."

"I'm not trying to shut you up, Alice. It's just that somehow, almost everything you say makes me want to kiss you."

"...Love isn't something you can cup in your hands, and I have to believe that mean its something that can't ever be lost."

"Your heart's broken without her Peggy, and mine can't be whole until yours is."

"I think you live in a world that's more interesting than the one most people live in and I wish I could live in it too."
"I'll take you sometime."
"I'd like that."