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elinmln's review against another edition
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Car accident, and Death of parent
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I think I can officially say that the duo of Christina Lauren has successfully infiltrated my heart into the deepest, most emotional parts.
I feel numb after finishing this one, because I felt everything else while reading it. It didn’t take me long at all to pour through it, but somehow I’m left thinking I’d been inside those words for years and years. It was so comforting, real, sweet, honest, deep, heartbreaking… and other words.
To say this is a ‘great romance’ is doing it a disservice—it is an overwhelming portrait of every pulsing vein that makes up a contemporary romance. The chemistry between Elliot and Macy, built up so naturally, stretched into an aching slow burn, the intensity of raw hurt and mixed signals, dialogue dripping with honesty, the painful passage of time lost. Short chapters switching between “then” and “now” made it all the more heart racing. Would love prevail?
This isn’t a romcom, like the other books by Lauren that I’ve read. I adore romcoms, but I adore real stories even more. Real characters, real emotions, real loss, real situations. And this is real, this is all-encompassing, this is love.
Lauren’s full-hearted leap with this romantic drama is an instant winner for me. Hard to believe it was their first foray into women’s lit. What a home run.
I feel numb after finishing this one, because I felt everything else while reading it. It didn’t take me long at all to pour through it, but somehow I’m left thinking I’d been inside those words for years and years. It was so comforting, real, sweet, honest, deep, heartbreaking… and other words.
To say this is a ‘great romance’ is doing it a disservice—it is an overwhelming portrait of every pulsing vein that makes up a contemporary romance. The chemistry between Elliot and Macy, built up so naturally, stretched into an aching slow burn, the intensity of raw hurt and mixed signals, dialogue dripping with honesty, the painful passage of time lost. Short chapters switching between “then” and “now” made it all the more heart racing. Would love prevail?
This isn’t a romcom, like the other books by Lauren that I’ve read. I adore romcoms, but I adore real stories even more. Real characters, real emotions, real loss, real situations. And this is real, this is all-encompassing, this is love.
Lauren’s full-hearted leap with this romantic drama is an instant winner for me. Hard to believe it was their first foray into women’s lit. What a home run.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Car accident
Minor: Addiction and Pregnancy
lacyloveslit's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
If you're looking for a story that will make you feel all of the emotions, this is it. Macy and Elliot's love story was so sweet and genuine. The way they bonded over books and reading made me melt. I loved how Elliot made Macy feel so safe and allowed her to open up to him about her mother while also not treating her like she would break. I felt like their friends to lovers story was so well written and believable. It made me feel like they were real people, living somewhere in the city.
I really enjoyed the duel timelines, flipping back and forth between their relationship 'then' and Macy and Elliot's reunion 'now'. I didn't understand the reasoning behind not speaking to someone you were so close to for 11 years- that seemed extreme to me while I was wondering what possibly could have happened to cause that sort of reaction. It made more sense in the end, but I still feel like that part was a bit much considering how destined the two seemed for each other.
The last part of this book ripped my heart out. I was not expecting it and it threw me.
I recommend this book if you:
-like the friends-to-lovers trope
-believe in soulmates
-are looking for a believable love story
-enjoy rekindled romance
For more reviews, find me on IG- @lacyloveslit
I really enjoyed the duel timelines, flipping back and forth between their relationship 'then' and Macy and Elliot's reunion 'now'. I didn't understand the reasoning behind not speaking to someone you were so close to for 11 years- that seemed extreme to me while I was wondering what possibly could have happened to cause that sort of reaction. It made more sense in the end, but I still feel like that part was a bit much considering how destined the two seemed for each other.
The last part of this book ripped my heart out. I was not expecting it and it threw me.
I recommend this book if you:
-like the friends-to-lovers trope
-believe in soulmates
-are looking for a believable love story
-enjoy rekindled romance
For more reviews, find me on IG- @lacyloveslit
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Car accident, and Death of parent
iheartnormalpeople's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer
abiigrl's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Death, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent
samalamadingdong's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Car accident, and Death of parent
jujules's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Death of parent
alenert's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Car accident
heyymishh's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“‘Favorite word?’ he whispers. I don’t even hesitate: ‘You.’”
This book had me smiling and this book had me crying - it had on a rollercoaster of emotions in all the best ways. When Macy’s mother dies, her father buys a weekend home and she eventually meets Elliot. He becomes her best everyfriend. But in the present day they are no longer speaking and went 11 years with no contact. With a childhood friends to lovers trope we have alternating timelines learning about their love and what happened.
If you’re a fan of People We Meet On Vacation or it didn’t hit for you - read this!!! This follows a similar blueprint but the execution and build up was much more natural to me and the fall out seemed to be more impactful. While I was able to piece together the clues about what happened, I still cried learning what happened and why they stopped talking. Elliot and Macy’s love was so pure and I loved watching them grow.
What I loved even more though was her relationship with her father. After her mother’s death he continued to carefully take care of Macy as a single dad. He followed all of her mother’s instructions or advice left for him meticulously. His love for his daughter was beautiful. It was so lovely to see Macy and the two men in her life love her so deeply.
5 stars I don’t think my heart will recover! 😭
This book had me smiling and this book had me crying - it had on a rollercoaster of emotions in all the best ways. When Macy’s mother dies, her father buys a weekend home and she eventually meets Elliot. He becomes her best everyfriend. But in the present day they are no longer speaking and went 11 years with no contact. With a childhood friends to lovers trope we have alternating timelines learning about their love and what happened.
If you’re a fan of People We Meet On Vacation or it didn’t hit for you - read this!!! This follows a similar blueprint but the execution and build up was much more natural to me and the fall out seemed to be more impactful. While I was able to piece together the clues about what happened, I still cried learning what happened and why they stopped talking. Elliot and Macy’s love was so pure and I loved watching them grow.
What I loved even more though was her relationship with her father. After her mother’s death he continued to carefully take care of Macy as a single dad. He followed all of her mother’s instructions or advice left for him meticulously. His love for his daughter was beautiful. It was so lovely to see Macy and the two men in her life love her so deeply.
5 stars I don’t think my heart will recover! 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer
stellabyproxy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
What’s better than reading a book? Reading a book about characters who love reading books!
This slow-burn, ironically, left me at a loss for “other words”. As a 19 year old girl, reading about Macy and Elliot’s younger selves made me reflect on my adolescence and draw parallels to my own younger self, nose-deep in a book and disconnected from the world. And made me eternally grateful for the years I shared with my own guy best friend. I, too, hope to find an “everyfriend” with the capacity for love that these two shared.
“Favourite word?“ Infinite ❤️
This slow-burn, ironically, left me at a loss for “other words”. As a 19 year old girl, reading about Macy and Elliot’s younger selves made me reflect on my adolescence and draw parallels to my own younger self, nose-deep in a book and disconnected from the world. And made me eternally grateful for the years I shared with my own guy best friend. I, too, hope to find an “everyfriend” with the capacity for love that these two shared.
“Favourite word?“ Infinite ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity and Car accident