A review by whiskers_and_lipstick
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

challenging emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

0.0

I was enjoying the story until the reveal of the New Year’s Eve that separated Macy and Elliot.
There was no acknowledgment that Elliot was sexually assaulted. How that situation was treated and the characters’ responses to the event ruined the story for me - especially Elliot owning that night as his “mistake.” It felt like victim blaming. He should have been able to go to a party and drink and pass out in his friends bed without someone taking off his clothes and taking advantage of him thinking his girlfriend showed up. It was even more devastating to find that his “friends” did nothing to help him that night or to support him when he woke up confused the next morning. They told him nothing FOR DAYS - not until he is spiraling even further about Macy not answering his calls or texting him back.
I also don’t feel like like there was a growth arc for Macy. Her personality and defense mechanisms remain consistent through a story that spans 15 years. I guess there’s hope that she can grow with how the story ends, but at that point I was no longer invested. 
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