“Love and Other Words,” a standalone written by Christina Lauren follows Macy Sorensen and Elliot Petropoulos, includes childhood friends who reconnect years later after being separated, flooding back memories of their teenage love. This novel explores how past experiences can change people for the better, not only for themselves, but for others you love as well.
“Love and Other Words,” is about Macy Sorensen, a pediatric resident who seems to have a perfect life but is still haunted by her past. She runs into Elliot Petropoulos, not only her first love, but first best friend who she hasn’t had contact with for over a decade. This novel is told between their teenage years together where they spent time bonding over their shared love for books, and the present, where they must confront each other’s unresolved feelings and past secrets. While their past relationship begins to slowly unravel, we learn more about the tragedy that pushed them away. Elliot is determined to win macys heart back, but she finds it difficult to deal with the pain of their history. In the end of the book, it’s a heartfelt journey dealing with forgiveness, healing, and rekindling the love they have always had with each other since they were kids.
This novel captivates well written character development for both Macy and Eliot. Macy’s journey from a reserved individual to someone who learns how to fully let herself love again is captivating and relatable. Elliot’s unwavering patience and dedication to Macy is admirable, showing how deep these characters’ connection truly goes throughout the book. Their growth individually and together is a reflection of shared history and experiences. This development is crucial to the story adding a sense of fullness to the plot, making their relationship touching and believable to any reader.
In “Love and Other Words,” the slower pacing of the book, particularly the alternating timelines, often delays the plot of the book. While the dual timelines add more depth to the story being told, it occasionally made the storyline feel disordered and confusing. Having the timelines be more balanced between the past and present would have made the overall reading experience more enjoyable. This small adjustment would keep readers more engaged in the romance unfolding.
This book is truly astonishing and well written. This novel deserves a 5/5 because of the depth and the overwhelming emotions the story makes you feel. This novel is amazing if you enjoy reading romance and realistic storylines that keep your attention all throughout the book.
