I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump. While this is bound to happen to us avid book readers, I just have not been in the mood for anything. Until I remembered I had ordered this beautiful special edition cover of Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren and I decided it was as good a place as any to get me out of my funk.
I started this book at 9:30 PM and stayed up until 5 AM finishing it, so you could say I enjoyed it. Now that you have an idea of where my head is at, let’s discuss the amazingness of this book and why it’s one of my favorite reads of 2023.
A little background on me; I am a sucker for a good friends-to-lovers book. I love being able to see the start of the friendship and watch it grow into something more. This particular story is told solely from our female main character Macy’s point of view (I know I love a good dual POV book too, but I promise it’s still amazing).
It goes back and forth between the past…
when Macy and her dad would drive up to their cabin for the weekend or the summer and the nerdy, bookish boy next door would come over.
And the present…
where after not seeing each other for over a decade the familiar flames between Macy and the boy next door, Elliot, continues to burn strong.
As we get towards the end of the book, we slowly uncover what happened over the course of 10 hours that changed both of their lives forever and the twist had my jaw on the ground.
I think the thing I enjoyed the most in this book was the build up and tension between Macy and Elliot that made every interaction between them so much more meaningful. The background between them was so beautiful by itself, so learning the truth of what happened made it that much more heartbreaking.
I refuse to add any spoilers in here because this book deserves to be read cover to cover and is one of very few books I wish I could read for the first time again.
Safe to say, this book pulled me out of my slump and we are back chipping away at that TBR pile. I cannot say enough good things about this book and hope everyone sees the same things I saw in it that made me remember why I love reading so much.
Book Rating: 5/5
Spice Rating: 3/5
HAD to add some of my favorite quotes from the book so if you’re still reading, congratulations! Consider this your prize…
“It was always my plan to live wherever you were.”
“You’re my best everything.”
I need you the same way you need me, okay?”
“I like living alone, but would rather live with you. I like sleeping alone, but would rather have you in my bed.”
“Macy, you know that I would make time any day for you. Any sliver of time I have is yours.”
“Favorite word?” “You.”
“Kiss me.”
“You’re the love of my life… I couldn’t go home to someone else and pretend to love her with everything I have.”
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