In Meet Me At Luke’s, Kristine Eckart offers readers a thoughtful and heartfelt exploration of how lessons from Gilmore Girls can be woven into a more intentional, mindful life. Framed around the guiding question, “What would a Gilmore do?”, the book uses the beloved show not just as pop culture nostalgia, but as a lens for personal growth and purposeful living. While some might question why the "Gilmore way" should be a model for fulfilment, Eckart gently reminds us that we are all striving for meaning, and this is simply one inspiring path, which is full of warmth, wit, and emotional depth.
Eckart’s admiration for Gilmore Girls shines through every page. By using iconic phrases, moments, and characters from the show, especially Lorelai’s quirky wisdom—she cleverly structures each chapter around a life lesson. From navigating complicated mother-daughter dynamics to the transformative power of reading and the importance of community, the book touches on universal themes.
My personal favourite is the one that focuses on Paris Geller, who is her own villain. Sometimes, getting out of your own way is the only way to your own success, a lesson Paris bitterly learns.

What sets this book apart from traditional mindfulness guides is its creative and deeply personal approach. Eckart seamlessly blends trivia, reflections, and actionable insight, showing how the charm and complexity of Stars Hollow can inspire us to live more fully. Through her own experiences and the wisdom of a fictional world, she encourages readers to discover their purpose, build genuine connections, and craft a life that feels both intentional and uniquely theirs. Meet Me At Luke’s is a love letter to fandom, self-discovery, and the possibility of finding meaning in even the most unexpected places.

this is a great read for any gilmore girls fan! the illustrations are really nice, i loved the lists and recipes and the author is clearly a true fan

I LOVE GILMORE GIRLS. I love this book!

Fans of Gilmore Girls will LOVE this book!! It’s like a hug. It’s immersive with adorable illustrations and references that made me feel like I was actually watching the show. There’s lists and behind the scenes trivia info. There’s character explorations, song playlists, and plot summaries. There’s so much cute advice correlated to Gilmore Girls. And there’s recipes!! This was such a fun read.

Release date 10/7/25. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I can’t wait to buy a physical copy. It would make a great coffee table book. I read it in a few hours. It’s easy to get lost in with cup of coffee and a pop-tart.

I love the included book and movie lists but the icons within the text are distracting.

Kristine Eckart's Meet Me at Luke's is a delightful journey through the beloved world of Gilmore Girls. This beautifully illustrated guide captures the essence of Stars Hollow, offering fans a chance to relive their favorite moments and discover new insights.

Eckart, the founder of the Gilmore Book Club, brings a unique perspective to the book, blending personal anecdotes with reflections on the show's impact. The book is filled with a treasure trove of insights, anecdotes, and life lessons drawn from the show's rich tapestry of relationships, small-town charm, and the enduring bond between a mother and daughter.

One of the standout features of Meet Me at Luke's is its ability to spark conversations about how the lessons learned in Stars Hollow can be applied to our own lives. From discovering our purpose to creating a home and finding love, Eckart delves into the show's themes with warmth and affection.

The book also includes a steady stream of pop culture references, undying affection for the townspeople of Stars Hollow, and special applause for the incredible guest stars over the years. It's a must-read for any Gilmore Girls fan looking to deepen their connection to the show.

Overall, Meet Me at Luke's is a heartfelt tribute that will leave readers feeling nostalgic and inspired. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the world of Gilmore Girls, this book is sure to be a cherished addition to your collection.

This book feels like a Gilmore Girls: 101 Guide. I don't think you need to read any other book about the show, because this touches on every aspect there is to talk about. It's super complete and precise, as well as fun!

The writing is incredibly engaging, leaving you stuck to the book for hours without even noticing.

The analysis the author does in each topic is very thorough, you can notice the deep level of research she did. She mentions friendship, love interests, parenting, how the show started (the idea behind it, casting, etc.), and many many other aspects. She analyses not only the storyline and the characters' traits and growth, but also the references and pop culture moments mentioned throughout the show. She also does an amazing job when it comes to the Rory Gilmore Reading List, for example.

The illustrations are also a major part of this book; they're mesmerising and the amount of detail is incredible!

One of my all-time favorite shows is Gilmore Girls which premiered in 2000. While this is an unofficial book, I suspect she intended to have this out to celebrate the anniversary.

Eckart’s knowledge of the show is impressive. She references details even the most ardent fan might not have caught. While her references to books and movies referenced in the show is impressive, inserting them into the writing regularly felt forced. Sometimes she wanted to make the reference as much as she wanted to make her point.

Each chapter ended with some fun extras. There’s history, deleted scenes, recipes, trivia, or behind the scenes extras that are fun. I enjoyed those more than the main writing. I did appreciate the use of QRcodes to link to various lists. I wish there was a way to make them more aesthetically appealing.

I didn’t dislike it but I was just very meh. The writing was fine but forgettable. Eckart inserts a little of herself but it’s either too little or not enough.

This was only available in the NetGalley reader which is mediocre on a good day. It’s been especially buggy lately so this did not improve my reading experience. I think the full color design is a contributing factor to that choice.

If you have an avid Gilmore Girls fan in your life, they’ll probably like it. Otherwise, skip it. Thanks NetGalley and Andrews McMeel. I wish I liked it more. 3/5

Kristine Eckart's Meet Me at Luke's is a must read for any Gilmore girl fan! It is about the life lessons that emerge from the show and how they permeated into Eckart's life. The book starts with a summary of all seven seasons of the show, then each chapter is a life lesson we learned from the Gilmore universe. Her writing style grabbed my attention, and the book is so filled with the quotes, I felt like I was rewatching the show. This could have been written by a Gilmore girl! The illustrations by Laura Marr were phenomenal, and I hope I see some of them as stickers when the book is released. I highly recommend this book to all Gilmore fans. Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing for this arc copy!

Will be a popular title with the 25th anniversary coming up. Good lists, cute illustrations, but the author’s experience wasn’t necessary in this context.

This was fun in that it was formatted like a textbook on Gilmore Girls. I really enjoyed the lists of references, travel recs, recipes, and of course the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge complete list! The artwork was also perfect! There was a lot of nostalgia in this book and I liked the recaps. It’s not new for a major Gilmore Girls fan but it was fun having the info in one place. The book was a bit more self help than I expected. I knew it was life lessons from Gilmore Girls but I think I had something else mind. I appreciated how the author incorporated their experiences but I couldn’t relate to most of them. I ultimately rated it three stars because I LOVED the more Gilmore Girls show encyclopedia type content in the book but the self-help side of things wasn’t for me.

Rating 2.5

This book was fun as far as nostalgia goes. I love Gilmore Girls and have watched the series several times. It felt cozy to be able to relive some of the moments throughout the series.
The artwork was also AMAZING within the book. So lovely. I wish I could order prints of some of the artwork.

That said, I felt like it was very surface level and didn't get much of a takeaway from the concept of the book - I didn't get the deeper dive into the series and lessons. It also felt like there was a pop culture checklist that was trying to be hit with all the name dropping of books and movies. It felt very forced.

Overall a decent a read, but not for me.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of Meet Me at Lukes for review.

I was interested in reading this book due to the love my sister and I have always had for the Gilmore Girls tv show. We had watched the episodes after school and it became an autumn comfort show for us to rewatch throughout the years.

I absolutely loved the artwork throughout the book. It brings the details of Gilmore Girls and Starshollow to life and the small details are so charming. I also liked how there were so many bookish references as Rory is known to be an avid reader.

This book is structured with each chapter header having a life lesson that Gilmore Girls has shown through the tv show and uses scenes from the show as well as the authors experiences to expand upon the lessons. I thought that this was an interesting set up and also enjoyed how quotes from the show were used throughout each chapter as examples. The author also includes lists of places to go while traveling, music, and quotes from celebrities.

I also enjoyed how this book has details of how the show came to be and information about the creator Amy Sherman-Palladino which I thought was a nice addition because it brings a bit of background knowledge to the reader.

I would recommend this book to any life long Gilmore Girl fan.

This is perfect for all GG lovers!! I especially loved the little book bit on GG book recs! It had some great bits of info and some bts stuff too. It was set out perfectly too.

As a Gilmore girls addict, I had to pick this one up! This will really speak to the Gilmore girls lovers out there and tie your favorite show with all aspects of life. I loved the little behind the scenes bits and deleted scenes sections and would have loved a few more of those but I appreciate how the author used her own life and stories to speak on how much we all love this show and always will!

Perfect companion for the die hard Gilmore girls fan, enjoyed all the behind the scenes information and facts.

This is the perfect book for die hard Gilmore Girls fans! I loved all of the behind the scenes tidbits and recaps, as well as the parallels the author drew. One of my favorite things was the inclusion of the full list of Kirk's jobs (IYKYK)! The darling illustrations added the perfect whimsical touch. This would make a fabulous gift for any Gilmore Girls fan.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a book of essays exploring themes from the show and the author's personal experiences with them. It's a fun little book for super fans and, as a bonus, it has the cutest illustrations! I was so impressed by the author's vast knowledge of the show and ability to make as many cultural references as the characters! A lot of these types of books don't give the vibe of being written by a superfan, but this one does. Kristine is a Gilmore pro! I really enjoyed my time spent with it.

3.5/5

This is the perfect book for Gilmore Girls' fans, if you like the show you will enjoy this book! I loved the timeline at the begginning of the book and all the "highlights" and behind-the-scenes, tidbits connecting different situations to the reflections the author makes about life. Props to the illustrator (Laura Marr) as well, the illustrations are stunning!

Thanks @NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC.

This is a very fun book. I feel like it will be a perfect release for October because a lot of us rewatch the Gilmore Girls every Fall! For so many of us, this is our comfort show. I loved the nostalgia and all of the things that made Gilmore Girls such a memorable show. Great work!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I requested this one because I am a huge fan of Gilmore Girls...I have to say I wasn't disappointed. There was a lot I could have done without but, for the most part, it was all just very cool to read. I really liked that she kept track of the books and movies within Gilmore Girls...I immediately went and found the list on my computer. I won't read them all just because there are some things I would be forcing myself to read and I just don't do that anymore. There were also little cartoon drawings throughout the book, which I really liked. All in all, this was a great read for any fan.

As soon as I saw this I immediately hit the request button. I don’t think I’ve ever clicked on something so fast in my life. It’s a book about Gilmore Girls?! What’s not to love! The cover is stunning and cute, captures your eye right away and you instantly want to pick it up and read it and buy it. Unfortunately this ARC wasn’t available as a Kindle download so the format didn’t work for me. I tried opening through the NetGalley Reader but it never loaded and I was so disappointed this document wasn’t accessible and readable for me. I know if I was able to read it I would love it but if this ever becomes available through Kindle or as a hardcover copy I will gladly purchase it! I think just based on the cover and description this would make the absolute perfect gift to any Gilmore Girls fan like myself. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.