Emily Henry

Hi! I'm Emily Henry, and yes, I'm that person who writes books about books and the people who love them. (Because apparently, I never learned how to have normal hobbies like everyone else.)

I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I spent most of my childhood with my nose buried in whatever book I could get my hands on. My mom likes to tell stories about how she'd find me hiding in closets with a flashlight and a stack of novels way past bedtime. Little did she know she was witnessing the beginning of what would become my entire career – though I doubt she imagined I'd end up writing steamy scenes that would make her blush at family gatherings.

My journey to becoming an author wasn't exactly straightforward. I studied creative writing in college (because who doesn't love the classic combination of student debt and parental concern?), but I actually started out writing young adult fantasy. Plot twist: I ended up falling head-over-heels in love with contemporary romance, particularly the kind that makes you laugh out loud on public transportation and then cry into your coffee five minutes later.

When I write, I'm obsessed with creating characters who feel real enough to bump into at your local bookstore – you know, the ones who are wonderfully messy, sometimes make terrible decisions, and definitely drink too much coffee. My books tend to feature people in the publishing industry because, let's be honest, we're a weird bunch, and someone needs to document our peculiar habits for posterity.

"Book Lovers" is probably my most personal book yet. It's about a sharp-tongued literary agent and a grumpy editor who are basically the "villains" in everyone else's small-town romance. (Finally, justice for all the city people who keep getting depicted as soul-sucking monsters who need to learn the value of slowing down!) It's my love letter to romance novels, publishing, and everyone who's ever felt like they were cast as the antagonist in someone else's story.

I write for readers who love books about books, who appreciate a good enemies-to-lovers arc (because the tension! the banter! the inevitable surrender!), and who understand that sometimes the most romantic thing someone can do is recommend the perfect book at the perfect moment. My characters tend to be book-smart but life-awkward, armed with literary references for every occasion and an unhealthy attachment to their local coffee shop.

When I'm not writing, I'm probably reading (shocking, I know), attempting to convince my cat that my laptop keyboard is not her personal lounging spot, or trying to perfect my book-to-coffee ratio for optimal writing conditions. I live in the Cincinnati area with said cat, who has more opinions about my writing schedule than any literary critic.

To my readers: expect stories that celebrate the transformative power of books, feature complex characters who are trying their best (even when their best is a hot mess), and always, always include enough banter to fill a novella. I believe in happy endings that feel earned, chemistry that jumps off the page, and the healing power of a good book recommendation.

I love connecting with readers on Instagram and TikTok, where I probably spend too much time sharing book recommendations and behind-the-scenes peeks at my writing life. Fair warning: there will be cat pictures. Many cat pictures. And coffee. And stacks of books that my shelves definitely cannot handle but I bought anyway.

If you're looking for stories that are equal parts heart and humor, that celebrate both the magic of falling in love and the joy of finding yourself, and that might make you miss your subway stop because you're too busy reading – you're in the right place. Just bring coffee. We're going to need it.

(P.S. Yes, I really do read as much as my characters do. No, I don't actually have a problem. Yes, that is what someone with a problem would say. No, we're not going to examine that too closely.)