WRITERS AND LOVERS by Lily King

Set in 1990’s USA, the story revolves around Casey, an aspiring young writer and waitress grappling with finishing her novel, the grief she feels after losing her mother, and the romantic interest of two men.

After sitting on my wish list for about two years, I have finally read Lily King’s novel Writers and Lovers. Set in 1990’s USA, the story revolves around Casey, an aspiring young writer and waitress grappling with finishing her novel, the grief she feels after losing her mother, and the romantic interest of two men.

There is so much that Casey has to deal with - a brother living on the other side of the country, living in relative poverty with a landlord whose primary interest in her brother, a novel that sounds promising but isn’t writing itself and recovering from both heartbreak and grief.

The story is, in and of itself, good without being fascinating. I persevered because it was an easy read and I was vaguely interested to see which man Casey ended up in a relationship with - Silas, another young writer who seems a little distant, and Oscar, the older, established writer with two young boys.

There isn’t much else to this book - did I love it? No. Did I hate it? No.

I’d call this a beach read - compelling enough to finish but not one I’ll rave about to friends.