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A review by theespressoedition
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For the last several years, people have been recommending this particular Christina Lauren novel to me, knowing how much I adore friends-to-lovers. And wow, this really was a spectacular use of that particular trope, with a fair amount of second chance romance thrown in there as well.
Similar to my favorite friends-to-lovers romance, People We Meet on Vacation, this is told in dual timelines. We get an intimate look into the lives of Macy and Elliot as they meet and grow from awkward children into horny teenagers and then to in-love young adults that inevitably split apart. Simultaneously, we get to watch how they reconnect in their late 20s by happenstance.
The story has an air of mystery to it since you're not given a lot of information initially. I for one was left feeling desperate to understand what made them part ways in the past. However, I wasn't prepared for the answer in the slightest. I'm sure the other drivers on the highway were a little worried about me as I rapidly brushed tears off my cheeks while listening to this on a road trip. I definitely hadn't expected all the emotions that came along with the "reveal."
Truly, the only reason this book didn't get a full five stars is because I was uncomfortable with the sexual content in their childhood timeline. Yes, this is an adult novel, but writing about minors having sex just doesn't settle well with me. If it had been alluded to, that would be one thing, but it was a pretty heavy part of that timeline. I realize it was there for the sake of telling the story and gave a lot more umph to their adult timeline, but it still just gave me a case of the "ick."
As a whole, this book was really good, filled with a lot of emotional depth and fascinating character development. I would definitely read it again.
Similar to my favorite friends-to-lovers romance, People We Meet on Vacation, this is told in dual timelines. We get an intimate look into the lives of Macy and Elliot as they meet and grow from awkward children into horny teenagers and then to in-love young adults that inevitably split apart. Simultaneously, we get to watch how they reconnect in their late 20s by happenstance.
The story has an air of mystery to it since you're not given a lot of information initially. I for one was left feeling desperate to understand what made them part ways in the past. However, I wasn't prepared for the answer in the slightest. I'm sure the other drivers on the highway were a little worried about me as I rapidly brushed tears off my cheeks while listening to this on a road trip. I definitely hadn't expected all the emotions that came along with the "reveal."
Truly, the only reason this book didn't get a full five stars is because I was uncomfortable with the sexual content in their childhood timeline. Yes, this is an adult novel, but writing about minors having sex just doesn't settle well with me. If it had been alluded to, that would be one thing, but it was a pretty heavy part of that timeline. I realize it was there for the sake of telling the story and gave a lot more umph to their adult timeline, but it still just gave me a case of the "ick."
As a whole, this book was really good, filled with a lot of emotional depth and fascinating character development. I would definitely read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Alcohol, and Panic attacks/disorders
Sexual content with minors.