This novel was well worth the three months I had to wait to get it from the library. It's billed as a romance novel, I think Henry's first for adults, but it's really so much more than that. January Andrews is a romance writer dealing with writer's block, her beloved father's death, and a devastating family secret. She moves into her father's lakeside cabin to prep it for sale and finally write the book she owes her publisher, only to discover her next door neighbor is her college rival. Augustus Everett is a highly-acclaimed literary novelist also dealing with writer's block and personal troubles. They soon agree to a competition of sorts, swapping genres to see who can get a book sold first.
There was absolutely nothing surprising in the outcome -- January and Gus fall in love, she comes to terms with her father's complicated legacy, he heals from past trauma, and they both finish their books. The joy of this novel was watching it all unfold; the characters (all of them) were interesting and complex and the issues they dealt with felt real. January is a genuinely funny narrator, with a sharp wit that kept her from becoming too melodramatic.
I stayed up way too late reading this, and now I wish I had bought it (I could have read it sooner!).
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