One Of Emily Henry's Favorite Books Is Perfect If You're Craving Witty Banter

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Bestselling author Emily Henry doesn't just write good books; she also loves reading them. And although the author is best known for her iconic Emily Henry-style rom-com books, when it comes to reading, she hardly stays within the romance aisle. In fact, in a spring 2023 interview with Elle's Shelf Life, she raved about all kinds of books that spanned genres. 

But for Henry fans hunting for a book with some witty banter, "Thank You For Listening" by actor-turned-audiobook narrator and author, Julia Whelan, is Henry's book of choice for being 'a master class on dialogue.' The author said, "...the banter in this made me feel like I should consider retiring." The story follows a cynical audiobook narrator who refuses to believe in happily ever afters, but a chance connection with a mysterious fellow narrator just might challenge her cynicism and force her to rethink her own story.

This is also a great book option if you're more of a listener than a reader, as Whelan, who also wrote "My Oxford Year," didn't just write the story; she's also the voice behind the audiobook, which readers have said really helped to bring the characters to life. Henry isn't the only one obsessed with Whelan's way of telling a story through distinct character dialogue. An Amazon reviewer gave the book five stars as they found the witty dialogue so relatable, noting the characters' banter felt like 'a mirror of how me and my husband banter daily.'

Emily Henry is open-minded when she's the one in the reader's seat, and her 2023 Shelf Life interview gave fans a glimpse at her literary DNA. From the book that she read in one sitting because it was so good to a work she'd want to pass on for generations, her picks reveal that the author loves edge-of-your-seat thrills as much as stories that are emotionally layered. 

When asked for one of her go-to book recommendations, the "Beach Read" author didn't hesitate to name "Before I Let Go" by Kennedy Ryan, which was also on our list of books about broken marriages from the 2020s. Henry praised Ryan for being 'one of [her] favorite romance writers publishing today.' Ryan does have some other amazing works like "Reel," "Long Shot," and "The Kingmaker." 

"Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro was the book that made the author cry her heart out. For readers who are unfamiliar with this book, this is an excellent dark academia novel to add to your TBR. Henry described the book as a 'near-future grounded sci-fi about what makes us human,' and that Ishiguro's writing is beautifully powerful enough to 'make [her] tear up' and ultimately 'broke [her].' She's clearly got great taste, so if you've been looking for some good books to add to your TBR, you may want to take some time and read her Shelf Life interview to get some inspiration.