I am going to make a bold statement, and say Lily King is just not the author for me. I so want to love her, but it is unfortunate that I just cannot.

Casey is lost in this world. She is in her early 30’s, her mother has recently died, she is estranged from her father and her brother lives on the other coast. Casey has a great education and strives to be a published author. She is also in massive debt, trying to make ends meet to pay her enormous student loans.

Let me be very clear, the writing is brilliant. I personally could not get past that were zero chapter markings. King really does divide the book into Writers & Lovers. When I was reading about the artist, I could absolutely not put it down. Intertwined are the many lovers of Casey, and I found myself just not caring.

This is a book that does get stronger as you read and you get more invested in Casey, however it just does not hold up in the end for me. Sadly, I believe I will be in the minority here, but I will say that I am learning that not every book is for everybody.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"It's like when you go into a dressing room with a three-paneled mirror and you line them up just right to see the long narrowing hallway of yourselves diminishing into infinity. It feels like that, like I'm sad for an infinity number of selves."

3.5 stars rounding up. I've got an internal battle going on in my head right now about this book because some aspects are very good and other aspects are very mediocre. Writers & Lovers is one of those books that I could never convince someone else to read based on a plot synopsis alone because the story-line is very sleepy. Our heroine of sorts is Casey, a 31-year-old aspiring novelist who works as a waitress in Boston. Former golf prodigy and present owner of mounds of student debt, Casey is trying to figure out what she wants to do when she grows up while kinda-sorta dating two different gentlemen - neither one of which seems quite right for her, but neither one is quite wrong, either. Her mother's untimely death, her father's overall ickiness, and observing her friends' literary successes as she's still struggling to write her first novel also contribute to her life as it stands in 1997, when this novel takes place.

Although the plot isn't riveting nor action packed, it is very real. Casey is an extremely relatable protagonist. I could see a piece of myself in her, and I think that's what King was going for when she fabricated this character. While Casey is meandering along in all aspects of her life - career, money, love, friendships, and family - she reminds the reader how easy it is to let one (or more) facets of your life fall to the wayside. Adulting is hard, and it's even harder when it feels like all of your peers have it figured out while you're still floundering. Even though I appreciate that King created a real-person-type character in Casey, it did make the plot very slow moving and boring at times. I read books to escape from reality, not to submerse myself in it further.

King's way with words is absolutely exquisite. I was reminded of Lorrie Moore's or Donna Tart's prose - none of these authors require flashly plots to write a good book. I found myself highlighting passage after passage to squirrel away and save for later literary enjoyment.

"A lot of studies say that despite all our fears in this country - death, war, guns, illness - our biggest fear is public speaking... And when people are asked to identify which kind of public speaking they are most afraid of, they check the improvisation box. So improvisation is the number-one fear in America. Forget nuclear winter or an eight point nine earthquake or another Hitler. It's improv. which is funny, because aren't we just improvising all day long? Isn't our whole lief just one long improvisation? What are we so scared of?"

My biggest gripe with this book is the ending. It's always such a disappointment to me when an otherwise good book gets ruined in the final pages. Casey led such a tangled, complicated, and messy existence in the vast majority of this book that it was a complete mismatch in literary styling when she was given her perfectly wrapped up rom-com ending in the final ~20 pages. For her to pick the "right" guy, land her dream job, sell her novel, and make bucketloads of money all within a few days time was unrealistic and wholly unexpected. King needs to watch more gymnastics so she can figure out how to nail that landing. Plus, gymnastics is just plan pretty to watch. We should all watch more gymnastics.

Casey Peabody moves from Oregon to Massachusetts to restart her stalled life but can’t seem to find the restart button. Her mother has died before the book begins and the reader will get the feeling that Casey believes her mother died on purpose and has left her untethered.

Casey is a hard character like – at times she is immature, waiting for someone to tell her how to get her life going, and incapable of making any decision about her life. Casey hates her life but doesn’t take even the smallest step to get it back on track. She claims to be a writer but doesn’t write not even after winning a coveted space at the Red Barn Writers Retreat. She’s not like most artistic types who have no choice but to write (paint, sing, play their instrument, etc.). Perhaps if Casey had taken some of the hardships she was handed and turned them into a story or novel, her own healing process would have started well before the book opens and the reader wouldn’t have been subjected to her angsty behaviors.

The author’s writing is uneven – sometimes using analogies that are overblown and obtuse, at other times precise in her descriptions. There is a lot more telling in this book than showing and, perhaps, that’s because the POV is first person, but still the reader can’t be expected to like any of the characters if she can’t relate to the character.

Readers who like angsty books that take forever to resolve the character’s angst-driven issues will absolutely love the book. For those readers who like a bit of angst in the story and expects the character to make adjustments to handle the angst and move on will dislike this book.

Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an eARC.

Casey Peabody has always wanted to be a writer. At 31, she finds herself waiting tables, living in a run-down garage and with several debt collectors on her heels. For six years she has worked on her novel but somehow it does not work out, too high the pressure from real life. When her mother died a couple of months before, she not only lost her confidant, but constantly feels the big hole this loss left behind in her. Then she meets Oscar, a successful writer and widowed father of two, who seems to be the way out of her misery: a lovely home, stable relationship, two adorable boys, a life without worries. But it does not feel right, especially since there is Silas, too, quite the opposite of Oscar. When Casey is fired from the restaurant and her landlord tells her that the house is to be sold, the anxiety that has accompanied her for years becomes unbearable.

Raise your hand is you never dreamt of writing a novel. Isn’t that what we as avid readers long for? To intrigue others with what is lurking within ourselves and, of course, to be praised and complimented for our artistic capacities. Well, that’s just one side of being a writer, many more authors will actually have to face a life just like Casey: never to know if you can make the ends meet, frustrated because the writing does not move on, the words do not come, taking on any job just to survive and organising the writing around working hours. Lily King has painted quite a realistic picture of a novelist’s situation in “Writers & Lovers”. Yet, that’s by far not all the novel has to offer.

Her protagonist belongs to the generation who struggles to grow-up. They have been promised so much, they were full of energy in their twenties, but now, hitting 30, they have to make a decision: giving up their dreams for a conservative and boring but secure life just like the one their parents lead or going on with a precarious living that feels totally inadequate. No matter how they decide, it could be the wrong choice and the fear of not picking the right thing paralyses them, an overwhelming anxiety takes over control making them incapable of moving on or doing anything at all. They are stuck in a never-ending rat race which covers all areas of their life. Casey is the perfect example of her generation, highly educated, intelligent, good at dealing with people but nevertheless full of doubts about herself and frustrated by the constant setbacks.

I totally adored the novel, it is somehow a coming-of-age at a later age novel. The characters are authentically represented, the emotional states are wonderfully conveyed and thus easy to follow. Even though there is quite some melancholy in it, I did not feel saddened since it also provides a lot of hope just never to give up since all could turn out well in the end.

Very emotional coming of age story. Raw feelings for a woman to have lost her mother as a young adult now struggling with love, writing and her student loans. Very well written.

I asked to read this book as my friend told me about it and what she reads I read but I am not always sure if I like it, because our tast is not the same.
I shouldn't have worried- this is a *beautifully* crafted book in so many ways and the writing all serves a function. It's not sunshine and rainbows, though- it's about one young woman's recovery from a significant loss (her mother, still young) and how she learns to navigate the world again without that emotional anchor in her life. At times, Casey's journey can be difficult, but then the author will shift the narrative and bring so much light to the story that it shifts everything.

The most beautifully written scenes are when Casey interacts with two young boys she comes into contact with as the novel progresses (trying not to spoil anything)- I don't think I have read such honest, thoughtful, true-to-life writing about how children think and act and "bounce off" adults as these passages. I was so impressed by that- usually authors either infantilize children or make them so precious and fake that my teeth hurt just reading about them. Casey feels real, the kids feel real, their interaction made my heart break open in the best way.

I wish to thank NetGalley and the publishers Grove Atlantic and Grove Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The story line is about a struggling writer trying to get her book published. It is one that has been written many times so it is not unique. Lily King introduces us to Casey who works in a restaurant and is overhead in debt. Her apartment is tiny, smelly and very basic. She dreams of publishing her novel. Lily King introduces us to all of Casey’s friends and develops a story that keeps you reading and wanting more. The story parallels many of the hardships we all have in life and how we overcome them.

This author was not one I was familiar with prior to reading this story. While I did not love the book, I did enjoy it but found the story just too predictable.

I was not a fan of Euphoria, but I think it's good to revisit authors. The premise of this one sounded good enough to give Lily King another shot and I'm glad I did.

Casey is a holdout who has dreamed and worked hard to be a writer even as all her other aspiring author friends (save one) have left that dream behind. Now 31, she's in the midst of a crisis: she is grieving the sudden death of her mother, lives in a crappy shed, works a low-paying job and is severely in debt, recently got dumped, and can't finish her novel. Then two men come into her life and she's now got the added stress of a love triangle.

The fact that Casey, the main character, is a writer and lives in the Boston/Cambridge area resonated with me, a would-be writer living in Cambridge. I pass the same streets she did on her way to work and so I could picture exactly where she was as she rode her bike through the cities. This story is kind of quiet, yet compelling, and the details of Casey's experiences felt deeply personal, especially as the stressors in her life increasingly weigh on her.

Even as the pressure on Casey mounts, this book never got too, too heavy and I was thankful for the hopefulness in the story.

Wow. I was completely blown away by this book. The austerity of the writing makes it feel raw and real and just breathtaking; I think when you get the flowery adjectives out of the way and just let the story flow, you end up with something so close to the real human experience, so vulnerable and so resonant that it will stay with you always.

So anyway, by way of Synopsis; Casey’s life is a tangle of anxiety, debt and grief. She’s lost her mother, she’s been ghosted by her boyfriend, she’s being chased by debt collectors and she’s working a dead end job while she writes on the side. She’s not exactly living her best life and yet...
I love Casey’s resilience, I love that the entire story is subtly overtoned with a love of books and writing and writers and I love that in the darkest parts of this story, there’s no shying away from the ugly stuff. Life is hard! And the more we pretend it’s not the more people feel marginalised when their entire life doesn’t look like an Instagram feed. That’s just my rant though.... this story so incredibly captures the human experience in all its imperfect glory.

A gorgeous read that I want on my shelf. Highly highly recommended it.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a while to warm to Casey, the protagonist of this book, but once I did, the author's writing wrapped me up like a warm quilt on a winter's day, and ending the book felt like leaving a friend behind. The beginning of the story seems disjointed and chaotic, until you slowly realize this is a true reflection of Casey's life and thoughts, and her struggle to get through each single day. Despite the bleakness, there is lots of humor in this book, a couple of adorable little boys, and great conversations about books, words, the writing process, and emotions.

Highly recommended!

I fell for this girl, Casie, from the start, she is the writer and lover. Casie is wound up from the start, after making a big move across the country she feels like a failure; failing at writing, failing at love and even failing at her part time serving job at a restaurant called Iris. Lily King writes this story with passion, compassion, raw wit almost as if she is Casie. The story is wonderful, the writing so good and this book will wrap you up and keep you happy until the last page. Thank you #NetGalley #GrovePress #LilyKing

"Writers and Lovers" has its title in the right order: the book is primarily about the craft of writing. The torment of writing; the delight of writing. The aversion to writing; the all-consuming desire to write. The guilt of not having written, the need for discipline in order to keep writing. The abrupt departure of the muse. It’s only fitting that the novel is well written. Some sentences are so finely crafted that they hit the reader like a bolt from the blue.

Young Casey is working as restaurant wait staff in Boston, dealing with bereavement, post-traumatic stress, health scares, heartbreak, and debt. Debt—from student loans, of course—may be causing Casey the most anxiety of all; she calls it her “looming blank specter.” An unfinished novel, six years in progress, is calling to Casey over the din of angry diners and debt collectors. She’s clinging to the impractical dream of life as an artist and always wants to call her mother, forgetting that her mother died months ago. As the novel progresses, she’s torn between two different men, both of whom are also writers.

Readers will root for Casey to reach the next stage of her life, with good career, stable finances, good health, a healthy relationship, or, at the very least, a good, published, profitable novel.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and was encouraged to submit an honest review.

Publish date 3 March

This book follows Casey and her current stagnant life which although she is discouraged she is also determined to to commit to becoming a writer and having the creative live she always wanted.

As someone who considers themselves a creative person I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Casey's fight for her right to a creative life. I like that all though her life is pretty much at rock bottom she still finds a reason to dig herself out if the rut and carry on.

I was really fond on Casey's growth through the book starting of as what seemed like quite a reckless person or atleast making some reckless choices to becoming more grown up and yet still not compromising on the things that truly matter.

I enjoyed one of the romances in this but did not like the supposed good choice guy at all for her. I also really liked the family relationships in it. With the delving into her past relationships with her parents and then also her relationship with her brother.

Overall it was a very enjoyable book and I am interested to read more by lily king.

Thanks to netgalley for sending me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

I was so excited to receive this eARC from NetGalley, and the publisher, Grove Atlantic, because I was enthralled with the previous books that Lily King has written. I thoroughly enjoyed her latest novel as well, although this story about a young woman (31) grappling with grief after losing her mother unexpectedly and trying to figure out her life, is quite different from her bestseller, ‘Euphoria.’ I imagine that will come up in lots of reviews once this book is published.

I really liked the quirky yet lovable protagonist, Casey, and was totally engrossed in her journey from the beginning. Set in the Boston area, she is currently trying to finish a novel that’s been in the works for several years and supports herself by working as a waitress in a high-end restaurant for as many lunch and dinner shifts as she can (so she can write in the mornings and also manage to live plus pay off student debts.) Her experiences at the restaurant, details about her camaraderie with co-workers, as well as vignettes of some of the patrons, are realistic and often humorous, though certainly not a sugar-coated portrayal of restaurant work

Deep in debt and living cheap in the potting shed outside the home of a friend of her brothers’, Casey is having a tough time with life. I enjoyed how the details of her past adventures and lovers, and also with her childhood and memories of her mother, were revealed little-by-little, interspersed with the events of her current life. It was as if a photograph of the character became clearer and sharper-edged, more real the longer it developed.

I was intrigued by Casey’s relationships with lovers and friends (many of whom are writers, some no longer writing, having sold out their writerly dreams) as well as certain, interesting day-to-day choices that are ultimately revealed as connected to her past as much as her present state of mind.

Coming to terms with grief is not easy, especially when you must ‘keep it together’ to survive and your support system is a bit paltry. Add to that an existential crisis regarding your loftiest artistic dreams and recent devastating heartbreaks in love, and life can be tough to handle. I admired that Casey persevered, through panic attacks and misunderstandings (and two potential, almost accidental, love interests, not counting a couple of adorable children.)

I did not expect the ending, though. Some might say it was too pat, but I, for one, rooting for Casey throughout, even when she made some rather odd decisions, was exhilarated and uplifted. No spoilers, but I was glad that something, at least, went right for our heroine. I highly recommend this novel and can’t wait to see what Lily King comes up with next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this in advance of publication.

This book is full of life. The character development makes me feel like I'm leaving a good friend as a finish the last page. While I don't have personal experiences that match Casey's, the writing made me feel as though I have a good understanding of what she is facing. Definitely won't be for everyone, but I loved it!

It's not just about "that".

It's about everything........

Lily King presents the character of Casey Camila Peabody in hues of bright colors that have faded over time. Casey is the product of faulty decisions of her own making aligned with those of the people residing within her circle of family, friend and foe. She's adrift in a sea of could haves, should haves, and never haves.

It's 1997 in Boston and 31 year old Casey peddles her banana bike that creaks to the rhythm of things gone to rust and decay. Loaded down with student debt, Casey takes to waiting tables at the upscale Iris diningroom located on the Harvard campus. We'll meet her bevy of peculiar co-workers and an intolerant manager. Pressed uniforms are hard to come by when you're living in someone's renovated pottery shed turned into questionable living quarters. Casey always seems to be one step ahead of life's Black Hole.

King has a way with off-the-beaten-path characters as we've seen in Euphoria (My favorite). As the story unfolds, we'll view Casey in terms of her heavy past, her complicated present, and the agony of a dimly lit future. She shelves the profound impact of her mother's recent untimely death. But the flashbacks visit her often and relentlessly. When you don't deal, life deals the hand for you. That's what makes Casey's character so relatable. She longs for stability in a vastly unstable world.

But what is at the core of Writers & Lovers is Casey's beloved novel that she's been lugging around for six years. She writes in spurts and often has nothing but fruitless days. She travels back and forth between unproductive and hardly productive. But because of Lily King's superb writing we'll witness glimpses of Casey's "becoming"........slow and steady and knotted here and there. Bravo, Lily King for giving us a front row seat.

I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Grove Press and to the talented Lily King for the opportunity.

“Writers & Lovers” by Lily King is a thoroughly enjoyable and well-written book, with relatable characters that will stay with me long after I finished the last page. It is the story of Casey, a struggling novelist who is working as a waitress to make ends meet, while also trying to come to terms with the sudden death of her mother. From the very first page, I was invested in Casey’s story and I read this short book very quickly because I could not put it down. I enjoyed reading about Casey’s romantic involvements-they were just so realistic. “Writers & Lovers” is the coming-of-age-story of a woman in her early thirties and it will resonate with many readers of that same age group. The writing is just beautiful and this book explores so many different emotions. It is a must-read for 2020.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Grove Press, and Lily King for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this fabulous book. I will definitely be recommending it.

This novel covers many different topics- a mother's sudden death, grief, juggling lovers, waiting tables for low wages, harassment, anxiety, health issues, the struggles of being a writer, creativity and creative blocks, and always money and the lack of it.

The protagonist lives in Boston, and very thoroughly and descriptively evokes the town. She is chronically broke, and is living in the garage of a friend of her brother's, although the brother lives across the country. She is trying to write a novel but has so many other issues going on simultaneously she rarely writes. There are many interesting scenes and anecdotes but I felt they were disjointed. Just as she would involve the reader in a situation or a feeling, she would jump to another situation and feeling. Nothing felt finished. It's like someone who is telling a story yet constantly interrupting themselves to go off on tangents. I found this frustrating.

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

WRITERS & LOVERS
BY LILY KING

I have always thought Lily King was an extremely talented writer. I discovered her back in 1999 or 2000 when she published her first book called, "THE PLEASING HOUR." I loved that book so much which is about a young girl who joins a family on a houseboat to work for them. She gets involved with the husband which creates a kind of love triangle in which the wife who hired her has a very strong personality. I became a fan of her ability to create literary fiction with three dimensional characters who feel very much real. I also loved her second book called, "THE ENGLISH TEACHER," which is another literary treasure that I absolutely realized that I enjoyed immensely and knew I had become a fan of hers for life. I somehow lost track of her writing but have noticed here on Good Reads that many people loved her third book called, "FATHER OF THE RAIN," and her fourth book called, "EUPHORIA," seemed to be an explosive hit also on Good Reads. I think "EUPHORIA," finally gave Lily King her much deserved attention to her talent and finally won her internationally accolades for her abilities as the gifted writer she is. I knew early on from reading her first two books that she was one of my favorite author's and that I would read any book she wrote.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was to get an Advance Reader's Copy of her latest book called, "WRITERS & LOVERS." It was an honor and my pleasure to read and review her latest literary contemporary fiction novel about what it is like to be a struggling young novelist who stays true to her desire to create art. Her protagonist in her fifth novel is a 31 year old woman named Casey Peabody who is grieving the sudden death of her mother. Her grief is palpable as Casey is plagued by memories of her mother as she is also struggling to stay true to herself. She has been trying to complete her first novel for six years and works as a waitress in Harvard Square in a restaurant called Iris. She is broke and is given a place to live that is a moldy potting shed on the side of a garage. Her brother Caleb who lives 3000 miles away knows the homeowner named Adam. She receives a discount on her rent since Adam knows her brother Caleb and fifty dollars as a further reduction if she walks Adam's dog every morning.

Casey is in debt $72,000.00 for her student loans and rides a retro bike with a banana seat to work everyday. Lily King's descriptions of Boston and Cambridge are spot on as I am very familiar with the area. Personally her vivid descriptions of Casey riding her bike on Memorial drive along the Charles river and passing Boston University on her way to work lend credibility that this author knows this setting well and for me was an atmospheric character. She mentions Porter Square and Walden pond and Brookline which all exist and are popular places. Harvard Bookstore and the Brookline Booksmith are not mentioned in this novel but I wanted to mention often host Pulitzer prize winning Author's who give readings and book signings. You can usually find a signed copy of your favorite book that is newly published in those two stores. They are frequented by most author's because of their wide variety of books that you don't always see in most bookstores. This aside information is meant to be helpful to those readers looking for a signed copy of almost any author that has a new book published and is a charming place to visit if you have never been there but is on your bucket list of a place you are interested in exploring for a vacation.

This book is very different than "EUPHORIA," but is an excellent novel in its depiction of Lily King's acute awareness of the crackling dialogue between young people in relationships, working as a waitress in the restaurant industry and the feeling of needing to write as much as needing to breathe. It explores in Casey a realistic portrait of how frustrating it is to be artistically inclined and how for some it is easier than others to publish a novel with both being equally talented. While Casey's grief over losing her mother recently interferes with her endeavors to stay focused and she gets sidetracked by falling in love and her passion for wanting a relationship, she is driven to keep forging ahead with writing her novel. There is one quote early in the book from Adam in which he asks Casey how many pages she has written and she answers by telling him a couple of hundred. He then arrogantly offers his opinion by saying to her, "I just find it extraordinary that you think you have something to say."
I loved so much that Casey has such an iron will to keep writing despite the distractions of life at that age of life of in her case becoming a novelist, earning herself out of debt by attaining financial independence, navigating her health scare, choosing the right romantic partner and the fulfillment of her sexual passions all at the same time. I loved that throughout all of her hardships she remains confident and finds comfort in her best friend Muriel who is a successful writer. The ending was satisfying and perfect. This novel is more quiet and introspective and my greatest hope is that fans of Lily King's bestselling, "EUPHORIA," are not disappointed because they are expecting something similar. This is really different and once more showcases Lily King's exquisite expertise at being able to write masterfully unique novels with brilliant character development and write a narrative with the momentum of wanting me to keep turning the pages and sad that I reached the end. As disappointing as it is to any reader to say good-bye to the story, the ending was inspiring, satisfying and filled with hope.

With much grateful thanks to Grove Press, Lily King and Net Galley for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased by my early copy.

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

#Writers&Lovers #LilyKing #GrovePress #NetGalley

My initial impressions were the the writing was excellent and the book was awful. In fact, it was only the main character's life that was awful: grim, painful, depressing, and exhausting. After a while, a long, long while, the story improved, captured my interest and then my heart. Overall, a wonderful read. If you enjoy literary fiction, stay the course.