I really enjoyed this story. From the very beginning I was intrigued while she was walking the dog and intimating the owner.

The title is so superficial while there is sooo much introspection in the story. Dealing with grief is never easy but this story definitely spoke to me. The writing was spot on. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for letting me read and review this book. I loved this book SO. VERY. MUCH!!! I heard about this on the podcast What should I Read Next and it sounded somewhat interesting. But once I started reading, I literally could NOT put it down. I am a lover of stories that feature a character who is struggling with their life but then overcome their obstacles through hard work and sheer determination. And this is definitely one of those characters. But it wasn’t just the story. It was the way it was told so beautifully. Such wonderful description that made me feel like I was right there. It was so visceral. I loved every minute of it and plan on going back to read the authors back list. Thank you Lily King! #writerslovers

This book was seriously great writing. It's simple but not at all simplistic -- just the opposite, actually. The complexities that King is able to capture in regard to Casey's situation in life and relationships is boggling. I don't want to write much of a summary as I believe the beauty in this one was much in the unfolding of the characters and situations.
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is that no one is 100% perfect or likeable -- no Mary Sues here. I love Roxane Gay's essay in "Bad Feminist" that explores how meaningless and basic it is of readers to dismiss authors' work when they "can't relate" to a character or find them "unlikeable."
Who the hell am I to write a review of Lily King's work?! I have read every novel she's published. I *love* Lily King. Her writing is always genuine and heart wrenching.
I am grateful to NetGalley for providing me an opportunity to get my hands on King's work before the common plebeian.

Sorry, but it is just too depressing for me and doesn't seem to be progressing anywhere. I have picked it up twice, read a total of 30% and can't pick it up a third time.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Casey has moved to Massachusetts after the death of her mother has blindsided her. She is working to be a writer while working as a waitress to pay the bills. Adulthood with all of its hangups and missteps isn't what she thought it would be.

Casey's grief for her mother and her trials and tribulations while becoming an adult is very relatable for anyone who has lost a loved one or struggled with becoming an adult. However, I don't feel like the romance between her and the guy she ends up with is too rushed. Also, the ending was too clean, something life as King depicted with Casey, never turns out to be.

In Writers & Lovers, Casey is living the expected life of a writer in that she's drowning in debt, she's working as a waitress, living in a garden shed, and doesn't quite know how she's ever going to finish a novel and query it. But throughout this book, Casey also has to deal with her mother's recent death, her nonexistent relationship with her father, and multiple relationships with men that often leave her with the choice of settling or risking what could be.

I think this paints a relatively accurate picture of the post-college writing life. There is no easy or right way to get things done. If you want to survive, you have to spend your time at a job other than writing. If you want to make it as a writer, you have to push the rest of your life aside to get the words on the paper. Casey isn't the first person that gets a career off the ground in fits and starts, and she certainly doesn't let the fate of her book dictate what the rest of her life looks like.

The most interesting thing about this novel is that by the end, Casey's life is tied up in a neat little bow. Yes, the reader can see where there will be huge obstacles to come after they are done reading, but for a literary novel, it's as if the ending is almost too nice. Nothing really happened in Casey's life while we were reading, and she only made a few small decisions with any certainty, yet her hopes and wishes are answered in the span of a chapter or two. You want to be happy for her, but you want to question how quickly everything fell into place.

I have been waiting for Lily King to deliver a new novel and Writers and Lovers proved the wait was worth it. A gorgeous picture of a talented 20-something young woman, who is still figuring things out. King describes the restaurant world with delightful accuracy. As with so many good books, I left satisfied but wanting more.

3.5 {not quite up to par with Euphoria and Father of the Rain, which were both 4* for me] This is a tough one as I found the book quite uneven--read or not? Very slow to get into, but then momentum picked up--about halfway through. And, for me, a disappointing ending.

Casey has a debt-ridden life as waitress at a high-end restaurant while trying to make it as a struggling writer. She is challenged by relationships--especially with her mother--whose sudden death leaves a huge void and unanswered questions. And, on the romance front--she's conflicted/torn between Silas and Oscar.

I never connected with Çasey--I neither liked nor disliked her. And so many characters in the restaurant--all fairly well drawn, but sometimes confusing. I quite liked Muriel--who I saw as a foil.

How autobiographical is this? Certainly the parts about a struggling writer. This must have rung true-- "...a good story is both an allegory and a slice of life. Most writers are good at one, not the other."

Question: was King ever a waitress? These parts [and there is a lot taking place at the restaurant, Iris, seemed very authentic. [I was a waitress, very briefly--for a summer--long ago, but NOT at a high end restaurant]

Some of the language was fabulous. A description I never thought of:
...arguing about Ronald Reagan's legacy... he was a Howdy Doody manquė..."

and humor "Behind the counter a stout woman is working around her breasts, which rest on the counter, in the way of everything she does."

"...three oak trees on the far side of the park. Their limbs are enormous, ribbed with muscles and veins..."

I loved the storyline of Casey's time with Oscar's children; it felt very real. This might have been my favorite part of the book.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45289222-writers-lovers

First off, if you haven’t read Lily King’s astonishing last novel, EUPHORIA, I couldn’t recommend it more highly. It may be my very favorite historical novel, in that it creates a whole world, but in a way so visceral and immediate that you don’t feel the heaviness of the research.

Her new novel, WRITERS & LOVERS, could not be more different in subject or setting. Yet King demonstrates the same power for creating identification with a deeply sympathetic character. In this case, we follow young aspiring writer (and ex-golfer) Casey as she waitresses, frets about her student loans, frets over some medical problems, tries to finish a novel, and dates a series of men—all of them fellow writers with varying levels of success. It’s a wonderful portrait of literary ambition: the solitude, the insecurities, the jubilance when things go right.

Along the way, as she did with EUPHORIA, King has a lot to say about the problems of succeeding as a woman. Her last protagonist was an anthropologist, but the same kinds of double standards and barriers exist for Casey. One of her lovers is a famous novelist, and Casey shrewdly assesses his petulance about his literary career. All of the novel’s feminist messages are delivered subtly.

Lily King is an amazing chronicler of women’s lives. At this point I’d place her in a category with Alice Munro—not a comparison I offer lightly.

I received an advanced copy without knowing much about the author, and enjoyed the read! The book begins by pulling you in with references to some life events for the narrator (who is also working on a novel). Intrigued, I jumped in and the chapters flew by. It's a bit like a beach read, one of those books you can enjoy over a long afternoon or weekend and can keep your thesaurus in the other room :-) I appreciated that the author had a note at the beginning encouraging you to read the book in your own time.

Interesting look at transitions in a young woman’s life. Thanks for the review copy. I may check out other books by King.

A story about a struggling writer, grief, massive student loan debts, uninsured health problems and a complicated love life all while holding down a full time waitress job. I loved the writing but the plot didn't pull me in. I had difficulty connecting or caring about the characters and Lily seemed to exist outside of so many events. I really enjoyed some of the witty dialogue, especially with the 2 young boys but it wasn't enough. I have heard great things the author's other works so I'm looking forward to exploring her catalog. I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review. 3

Euphoria was so well written so compelling I couldn’t wait to read Lily Kings latest.Once again I was drawn right in to this new book excellent character development a story that kept me turning the pages so well written so involving.#netgalley#groveatlantic,

3.5 stars- I liked this book, I just didn't love it. Casey is a broke twentysomething, working as a waitress and trying to use her expensive degree and sad experiences to write herself out of debt and into the life she wants. I think this is the premise but the first half of the book is so slow and uneventful that you're not even sure a story will develop at all. Casey's story does pick up a little and some of the writing is very good, but this book could benefit from some editing and a better title. I really wanted to like it more as it had the potential.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free, advance title.

3.5 stars. I found this to be an uneven novel. Lily King won a bunch of awards for her book Euphoria, which I downloaded a long time ago but never read. Now I’m not sure that I want to read it. Other people have rated the writing of this novel as wonderful, but I’m not impressed except with how she described one of the men wooing her—he’s a successful writer/widower/father of two who, like so many people, can only see what he doesn’t have and what he hasn’t achieved as he compares himself to other writers.

The first 40 to 45 percent of Writers and Lovers is a snoozefest. Casey has been working on a novel for six years and is in massive student loan debt because she spent her twenties traveling and not working. She spent her eight weeks of a retreat mooning over a guy and not writing. Now she’s waiting tables to pay her minimum of her bills.

Her mother died a while back, and she’s still processing that. Her father is a nightmare. While Casey gets along with her brother, he lives across the country. Even with these hardships, I didn’t love the character, although I did empathize with her anxiety and sleeplessness.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES MARCH 3, 2020.

Wow--could a novel be more different from the marvelous EUPHORIA?

And yet WRITERS AND LOVERS delivers on its own terms--a poignant, compelling and thoughtful story of a young woman testing life and defining for herself who she wants to be. A novel not to be missed!

I approached WRITERS AND LOVERS with a bit of hesitation, having fallen head over heels for King's EUPHORIA. I felt it was unlikely this book would measure up. Here's the thing: they are such different books and each stands on its own merit. WRITERS AND LOVERS is a bit more narrow in focus and of course lacks the exotic international setting. It's likely to appeal to a wide variety of readers, but especially to millennials and aspiring writers as it follows a young woman trying to find her way in her artistic endeavors. King's attention to detail is astounding; there were many passages I wanted to highlight for this reason. In some ways, this novel reminds me of SELF PORTRAIT WITH BOY so if you enjoyed that one, give WRITERS & LOVERS a try. It's well worth your time.

This book is about grief, relationships, writing and waitressing! It's about books, reading, mourning and dead mothers! Every detail paints a picture; at times I felt like I knew the main character better than I know my family and friends. Some scenes were so good - I read the scene with the chess match multiple times. I found myself rooting for the main character throughout the entire book as if she was a child of mine - flaws and all.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Writers & Lovers
Lily King
Grove Press (March 3, 2020)
154 West 14th Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10011
https://groveatlantic.com
13-digit ISBN number 978-0802148537
$27.00
Suanne Schafer
suanneschafer.author@gmail.com
SuanneSchaferAuthor.com

Lily King’s Writers & Lovers is an extraordinary novel. As a writer I appreciate King’s efforts at capturing the life of a writer. This is King’s fifth novel and good enough that I’ll backtrack and read her prior works.

Her protagonist, Casey Peabody, is fascinating. She’s processing the sudden death of her mother with whom she’s relatively recently reconciled as well as living with the knowledge that her father was a complete ass. She’s been in a series of disastrous failed relationships and has fears of never being loved. To support herself, however poorly, while working on her novel (going on six years now) she works as a waitress in an upscale restaurant. She’s overwhelmed by student loan debt, medical problems, and relationship problems. She endures sexism both in the restaurant and in the writing world. Her hopes, fears, missteps, and triumphs are emotionally compelling.

King’s beautifully documents every aspect of Casey’s character. Casey’s insights into the world of writing are fascinating and often humorous—and I feel at least somewhat autobiographical. I enjoyed reading her thoughts about books, literary criticism, and teaching high school literature. The prose linguistically sophisticated, but clean and uncluttered.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an impartial review.

Lily King’s 'Writers & Lovers' is one of those rare novels that is as compelling narratively as it is emotionally. King captures a snapshot of a young writer’s life… a life that is complicated, dynamic, and fluid.

Casey Peabody is an enthralling protagonist. As someone who is trying to find her place in a world without her mother, who is processing trauma and anxiety, and who feels crippled by the prospect of love, Casey is achingly human. Her mistakes, her fears, and her triumphs are all deeply woven into this narrative. And we also see the impact that her gender and socioeconomic status play in her life in a way that doesn’t feel overly didactic or heavy-handed. It’s just reality.

To me, one of the most compelling facets of 'Writers & Lovers' are its relationships, be they fraternal, familial, or romantic. The way that Casey interacts with the supporting characters in this novel are fascinating examinations into Casey herself; however, there’s also a universality to said examinations that feel personal to the reader. The arc of the narrative feels complete and satisfying. It’s one of the best pieces of literary fiction I’ve read in quite some time. My copy is filled with highlighted passages, and I cannot wait to read it again. In my opinion, it’s an artistic triumph that should be immediately added to your TBR pile.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC, which I received in exchange for my honest review.**