Love & Other Words

Article Written By: Lindsey

Disclaimer** This review may contain spoilers and is firmly based on my opinion**

Title: Love & Other Words

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books (2018)

Category & Genre: Young Adult Romance

Page number: 420

Tropes: Coming of age, Friends to lovers, Soulmates, Emotional scars, Reunion romance/second-chance romance.

Synopsis from the book jacket:

 “Macy Sorenson is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away. 

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos– the first and only love of her life– the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time Elliot was Macy’s entire world– growing from her gangly, bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again… only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating time lines between then and now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more– spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.”

Why did I choose this book to read?

When I read the back of the book and realized it was a coming-of-age story, I knew I would be interested in it immediately. As I continued to read the book jacket, I felt myself already connecting to the characters' love of books and reading. I was also intrigued by the idea of the characters growing up together and falling in love. Friendship is the most excellent foundation for any relationship. 

What did I like about Love & Other Words?

Overall, the story is both satisfying and entertaining to read. It has a good flow from start to end, and I didn’t find much predictability in the plot until the end. The characters are complex and vibrant, and I could envision their body language and conversations. Their emotion is easily understood while not overly done. The character arcs are well thought through and panned out nicely, with satisfying growth. The story’s drama doesn’t overshadow the underlying themes of the story, such as the mental strain of dealing with grief, the connections and bonds people can make with one another, and the strength it takes to understand one's emotions.

One of my favorite ways of working with a coming-of-age storyline is an alternating timeline from past and present. Christina Lauren does a remarkable job with this, as the timelines she presents align. It ultimately helps to propel the story to the end so the reader truly understands everything that transpired and led up to Elliot and Macy’s estrangement, the story’s climax. I also love this method of writing because we, as readers, also grow up with the characters to some degree. We get to see firsthand how their strong bond came to be, not just having to assume how strong it is because it’s written fleetingly somewhere that they have a long-standing history and mean a lot to one another. It puts into perspective how deeply the hurt of the betrayal that led to their estrangement runs and why their connection still burns so brightly after a decade apart. Aside from this event, this peek into their childhood made me fall in love with Elliot and Macy, both in their dynamic together and their personalities, and it gives insight into the present timeline of why they act the way they do.

Here are some of my favorite quotes…

‘“I’m pretty sure that was you being condescending last night, so here is me being mature and ignoring it.”’

‘“What’s your favorite word?’ I asked him. He sucked on his lower lip for a moment, thinking. “Vex,” he said quietly.’

“‘Not even one glass of hooch?” I asked, pretending to scowl. “This party sucks.”’

Where did Love & Other Words go wrong for me?

I found myself having a very in-depth understanding of Macy’s character, given that the story is told from her perspective. Still, because it is about Macy and Elliot, I think it would have been interesting to have a couple of chapters told from Elliot’s perspective. It would help further connect Elliot's character and the reader. This is especially true regarding how their estrangement affected Elliot because we don’t get much insight. I mean, sure, we get some, but I think this was lacking because we know all too well how it affected Macy.

My character connection…

There are so many ways to go about this, and I could make an argument for each character about why they are the best. All the characters have their pros and cons to them. However, one character outshines the rest of them in an understated way. That being said, let’s talk about Sabrina.

I thoroughly love Sabrina as a supporting character. Being Macy’s best friend in the story, she makes a strong presence as Macy’s moral compass throughout the plot and keeps the story on track. I enjoyed her personality and thought it shined through, even without her being the main character. I agreed strongly with her opinions and morals that keep Macy in check while guiding her throughout her affairs. I relate to her role as the best friend who tells it like it is to provide perspective but genuinely cares about the happiness and well-being of her friend. Her role in the story offers a lot of depth to the book and calls Macy to think about her life, its direction, and what will truly make her happy in the end.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Final Verdict:

I would reread this book many times again. It has made its way onto my favorite shelf. The plot and the story arc seem cliche at first, but there’s a lot more depth to this book and its characters than first meets the eye, so do be mindful of that if you decide to read it. 

Again, this is my opinion, according to my tastes in books, so should you agree or disagree, that is your prerogative. As always, we don’t look to tell you what is good or bad literature but to give our audience insights into various novels and help guide them to find their potential next read.