A review by writeronherway
Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Katherine Webber
4.0
This book kept catching my eye but romance isn't usually my thing. When I actually got around to reading it I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's a very realistic portrayal of how complicated and confusing relationship dynamics can be and it wasn't confined to romantic connections but about how grief tests family bonds, friendships and your perception of yourself.
You ache for Reiko who is struggling, desperately trying to live her life to the fullest for herself and her late sister, to hit all of the picture perfect moments even though it is breaking her to hit those milestones without her sister. She loves the desert and goes climbing when she can to escape and be herself. On a midnight climb she runs into Seth and their relationship grows from there. In the desert, they are on equal footing and their relationship is gentle and easy, possibly because they are both lonely, but when they return to school things get complicated.
I liked that Reiko is not perfect and doesn't know how to navigate things so lets them happen until it kind of spirals out of control. It was really cleverly done because you understood why she did things even as you thought 'no, don't do that' and similarly Seth becomes dislikable but you can see where it's coming from too until it verges on sexual assault (TW). Their relationship is a very honest exploration of how two people can need completely different things from each other and this collision of need can lead to something unhealthy. What I liked most is that there was no magical fix, no romanticised happy ending for them. It ends because they were in love with the idea of who the other person was but not the whole person.
Reiko moves on (after some unfortunate moves to get him back) with a better understanding herself better. The focus returns to facing her grief, rebuilding her relationship with her family, confronting her future plans and trusting her friends. This was such an important and cathartic focus. Usually in romance, I get so frustrated when couples treat each other appallingly but it's all magically undone because they love each other so this was a really refreshing take. This didn't happen. I really liked that I could follow the narrative beyond the story's end and imagine her in Japan. Reiko's heart is already broken from losing her sister and this is a story of healing.
I didn't want to put it down but was really satisfied with how it ended. With the setting and brilliant character dynamics I could really see this being turned into a Netflix film too.
You ache for Reiko who is struggling, desperately trying to live her life to the fullest for herself and her late sister, to hit all of the picture perfect moments even though it is breaking her to hit those milestones without her sister. She loves the desert and goes climbing when she can to escape and be herself. On a midnight climb she runs into Seth and their relationship grows from there. In the desert, they are on equal footing and their relationship is gentle and easy, possibly because they are both lonely, but when they return to school things get complicated.
I liked that Reiko is not perfect and doesn't know how to navigate things so lets them happen until it kind of spirals out of control. It was really cleverly done because you understood why she did things even as you thought 'no, don't do that' and similarly Seth becomes dislikable but you can see where it's coming from too until it verges on sexual assault (TW). Their relationship is a very honest exploration of how two people can need completely different things from each other and this collision of need can lead to something unhealthy. What I liked most is that there was no magical fix, no romanticised happy ending for them. It ends because they were in love with the idea of who the other person was but not the whole person.
Reiko moves on (after some unfortunate moves to get him back) with a better understanding herself better. The focus returns to facing her grief, rebuilding her relationship with her family, confronting her future plans and trusting her friends. This was such an important and cathartic focus. Usually in romance, I get so frustrated when couples treat each other appallingly but it's all magically undone because they love each other so this was a really refreshing take. This didn't happen. I really liked that I could follow the narrative beyond the story's end and imagine her in Japan. Reiko's heart is already broken from losing her sister and this is a story of healing.
I didn't want to put it down but was really satisfied with how it ended. With the setting and brilliant character dynamics I could really see this being turned into a Netflix film too.