A review by erinj_96
Love and Other Words, by Christina Lauren
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
My first 5 star read in almost a full year!! This story literally picks you up and takes you along such a beautiful and emotional ride. Thank god for this book and thank god for Christina and Lauren. They have a way of writing such beautiful and poetic prose while also making their characters and the world of the novel so complete and realistic. Like, everything that happens in this book could have easily happened in real life. It felt like they told the full story and left no stone unturned yet I still want more of Elliot and Macy!!!
First, Elliot!!!! Omg you’re kidding. Like how can a man be so perfect? There’s a moment in this book when she tells him her birthday and then months later he remembers it when it’s coming up and she says “didnt I only tell you my birthday once like 5 months ago” and he says “shouldn’t you only have to tell me once” …. … …. ARE YOU KIDDING?!?! He’s just so perfect and considerate but also makes mistakes and is realistic. His infatuation and relentless love for Macy is really the heartbeat of this book.
Macy is also such an amazing character. So often female characters in romance novels are 1-2 dimensional. They never have a bad thought or an ill will toward anyone but MACY IS SO REAL! Like she is actually a full fledged character who isn’t always pretty and nice and perfect and she has awkward moments that aren’t always cute and she has actual thoughts that real women have. It seems so simple but it’s just appreciated.
The way that Christina and Lauren write Macy’s perspective of girlhood and sexuality is so honest and real it is literally like looking into a mirror. Like HOW DO THEY WRITE IT EXACTLY THE WAY IT HAPPENED?!?? It’s almost scary how good they are at taking such an impressionable and memorable and vulnerable and new and exciting time in life and lacing in these really beautiful raw moments and make it feel so much like you’re right back in that place.
What happens to Elliot is so sad and heartbreaking and it’s even more sad when you realize that’s the reason why everything happens at the end of the book. It’s also so important to have this story there and to bring recognition to it.
The way the alternating time lines interlace SO FLUENTLY AND SEAMLESSLY is so satisfying. IT IS LIKE REAL LIFE! I can’t say it enough. If in the ‘then’ timeline Macy gets her first period, then in the ‘now’ timeline her fiancé assumes she doesn’t want to have sex bc she’s on it. There are so many examples like this I could go on and on.
The story of Macy and her dad is what takes this book from sad love story to complete mascara down the face sobbing shattered heart wrenching novel. Once everything clicks together in the end you finally understand why Macy couldn’t go back..again making her seem completely real and like so many resilient women I know who would’ve done the same in the name of self preservation.
This book is incredible. I’ll probably reread and recry several times. I’m an Unhoneymooners fan and was expecting something a little deeper and go more than what I was asking for, in a good way. Read this as soon as you can.
First, Elliot!!!! Omg you’re kidding. Like how can a man be so perfect? There’s a moment in this book when she tells him her birthday and then months later he remembers it when it’s coming up and she says “didnt I only tell you my birthday once like 5 months ago” and he says “shouldn’t you only have to tell me once” …. … …. ARE YOU KIDDING?!?! He’s just so perfect and considerate but also makes mistakes and is realistic. His infatuation and relentless love for Macy is really the heartbeat of this book.
Macy is also such an amazing character. So often female characters in romance novels are 1-2 dimensional. They never have a bad thought or an ill will toward anyone but MACY IS SO REAL! Like she is actually a full fledged character who isn’t always pretty and nice and perfect and she has awkward moments that aren’t always cute and she has actual thoughts that real women have. It seems so simple but it’s just appreciated.
The way that Christina and Lauren write Macy’s perspective of girlhood and sexuality is so honest and real it is literally like looking into a mirror. Like HOW DO THEY WRITE IT EXACTLY THE WAY IT HAPPENED?!?? It’s almost scary how good they are at taking such an impressionable and memorable and vulnerable and new and exciting time in life and lacing in these really beautiful raw moments and make it feel so much like you’re right back in that place.
What happens to Elliot is so sad and heartbreaking and it’s even more sad when you realize that’s the reason why everything happens at the end of the book. It’s also so important to have this story there and to bring recognition to it.
The way the alternating time lines interlace SO FLUENTLY AND SEAMLESSLY is so satisfying. IT IS LIKE REAL LIFE! I can’t say it enough. If in the ‘then’ timeline Macy gets her first period, then in the ‘now’ timeline her fiancé assumes she doesn’t want to have sex bc she’s on it. There are so many examples like this I could go on and on.
The story of Macy and her dad is what takes this book from sad love story to complete mascara down the face sobbing shattered heart wrenching novel. Once everything clicks together in the end you finally understand why Macy couldn’t go back..again making her seem completely real and like so many resilient women I know who would’ve done the same in the name of self preservation.
This book is incredible. I’ll probably reread and recry several times. I’m an Unhoneymooners fan and was expecting something a little deeper and go more than what I was asking for, in a good way. Read this as soon as you can.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Car accident
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape