Love and Other Words

Ugh!!!! It actually took me a second to get into this book, but in the end, I didn’t want it to end! The truest of true love stories that you could want. To love young love and the truest young love heart break is this book. Macy and Elliot grew up together although in different towns they were best friends. Macy’s dad owned the weekend house next to Elliot’s. That allowed them to develop the truest, honest friendship. As they grew up they developed feelings for each other and just as they thought they were going to be able to start their relationship other than a friendship in one night everything changed that causes them not to speak for years. This book does go back and forth between present day and past, and normally I don’t like that as a reader, in this book I did not mind it as much. I will give you a warning you will need a tissue for this book.! Add this to your list to read for February

I am really enjoying books written by Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the talented duo behind the pen name Christina Lauren, and Love and Other Words is another beautiful example of their work. This novel highlights exactly why they are such a strong and successful writing team. One of the things I appreciate most about Christina and Lauren’s books is that the romance is built from the very beginning, not rushed or suddenly resolved in the final chapter as so many modern romance novels tend to do. The reader is given time to truly experience the characters’ journey, allowing the chemistry to develop naturally, meaningfully, and beautifully over the course of the story. I also deeply appreciate their refreshing approach to intimacy. They don’t spend half the plot focused on explicit sexual encounters or exhaustively describing every detail. Instead, when the characters do become intimate, it is written with restraint and taste, keeping the emotional connection at the center of the story. This makes the romance feel more authentic and emotionally satisfying. The writing itself is beautiful, emotional, and heartfelt. The characters are well developed, the story is engaging, and the emotions feel genuine rather than forced. Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings have a wonderful ability to capture love, nostalgia, and longing in a way that truly resonates. I listened to this book on audio and found the story itself very engaging and entertaining. The reason I did not rate it 4.5 stars is due to the narration — at times it felt more like whispering than speaking, which became somewhat distracting. Because of this, I would recommend reading the physical or ebook version for the best experience. I may revisit this book in the future, as I believe it could be an even stronger read outside of the audio format. Overall, Love and Other Words is a touching, thoughtfully written romance that further proves how well Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings work together. A beautiful story that stays with you long after it ends.

Summary: Macy & Elliot. They fell in love and became eachothers “everything“ Elliot was exactly who Macy didn’t know she needed in her life. That tall, skinny, bony, big rimmed glasses boy because her everything. So what happened that had her leaving him and what happened to make her stay away for 11years Shes older now, about to get married to a man she thought she needed, but just one look at HIM again has her feeling like she doesn’t know what she feels or what she wants. Eleven years later and She is still in love with Elliot “At thirteen you were my first real friend. At fifteen you were my first love. At eighteen you were my everything. We were about to take on the world together, until one mistake shattered our future” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶/5 My dang heart❤️ Okay first things first: DAD DAUGHTER relationship! He did everything he could to help even if he was following a list his wife had made he followed through to a T! Mr. Sorensen was quiet but Macy loved it. “I like your kind of quiet. Your heart isn't quiet.” Now: My boy Elliot. **SIGH** He was perfect. Awkward but perfect. He wasn’t afraid to show his emotions. He didn’t have to pretend to listen but he always just did “Shouldn’t you only have to tell me once?” I wish we would have known more of that night, or that it didn’t happen and Emma happen to stage it, not a big fan of the whole “I thought it was you” but we’ll let it slide because otherwise the book was beautiful. Ms. Macy guarded her heart, she wanted to let Elliot on a deeper level than just friends but she was afraid and I get that, but they lost so much time besting around the bush. She was very passionate about reading and I love that She and Elliot were able to bond over something like that. I love her personality with Elliot while they were growing up. This book was precious, It brought smiles, laughs and tears. I like how realistic they made their first time, how they didn’t exaggerate his size or unrealistic expectations about Sex it went with the whole theme of the book it was Awkward but beautiful at the same time. I’d 100% read this book again.

HOLY FFFFFFFF WHAT DID I JUST READDDDDD im a sucker for romcom and how come no one ever mention this book to me until chatgpt insisted i had to read this based on my book preference. this is a trope i’ve read often but this one is beautiful, sad, everything. this book is everything. maybe 4.99/5 because the characters are too perfect and healed lol unlike most romcoms anyways… finished in a day. I CHERISH THIS BOOK!!!!

Started this and finished it on my 8hr flight. I did want a little more out of the ending but I’ve rated this 5 stars purely based on vibes and that I was not bored at any stage while reading. The book was such a page turner so it was the perfect choice to bring along for my long flight. I loved the past and present povs and did not predict the plot twist. Another one to add to my list of comfort reads 🥹

Love and Other Words is a beautifully woven second-chance romance that explores love, loss, and forgiveness in a deeply moving way. The story begins with an intriguing mystery surrounding why Macy and Elliot, once inseparable, grew apart. This suspense is skilfully maintained, keeping readers captivated until the very end. The author has crafted both complex characters beautifully. The growth of Macy and Elliot as individuals and their fight to rekindle their love are among the book's standout highlights. Macy is a well-developed character. Her journey through loss and back to love is poignant and deeply relatable. My heart broke for her multiple times while reading. Her grief over her mother’s death is portrayed with sensitivity, especially through her mother’s list, adding layers of emotion and insight into Macy’s character. Lauren handle themes of grief with remarkable depth, and Macy's journey through the pain of losing both her parents is heartbreaking, with her inner reflections particularly moving. The story doesn’t just show the rekindling of a romantic connection, it also depicts the reunion of two best friends, making it feel as though Macy is reclaiming a piece of herself. I fell in love with Elliot a bit more with each of his scenes. Throughout the book, I found myself wondering how a man could be so perfect. I seriously wanted to hug him for everything he went through in both his teen and adult life. I wish the author had given us his point of view, so we could understand his character more deeply and hear his inner thoughts. His declarations of love were some of the book's best moments, I couldn’t stop smiling as I read them. One of the book’s highlights is its dual-timeline structure. We witness Macy and Elliot’s tender, youthful bond, as well as the complex emotions they navigate as adults. Their moments together as teens especially the innocent jealousy and the slow-burn connection are touching, offering a nostalgic view of young love. I only wish we had more scenes of their reconnection as adults, as I loved the way they rebuilt their relationship from the ground up. However, the involvement of third-party relationships for both main characters felt somewhat unnecessary and disrupted the story’s momentum, slightly detracting from the otherwise touching narrative. Also, it was seriously disappointing the way the author didn’t throw much light on how Elliot was sexually assaulted, I didn’t appreciate the way it was still addressed as “cheating” in last chapters. Despite this, the way Macy and Elliot work through their misunderstandings and rebuild their love is heartwarming. Overall, Love and Other Words is an emotional, beautifully written romance with just the right mix of nostalgia, heartbreak, and redemption.

Christina Lauren has done it again... Love and Other Words is authentic, romantic, and well-written. A romance that captures readers' hearts and keeps them glued to the pages. I couldn't help but fall in love with Macy and Elliot. Christina Lauren's writing is so good that the reading went too fast, and, in the end, I wasn't ready to let the story and characters go. The young Macy and Elliot sound so familiar with their dialogues, their routine, and those fears that brought me back to adolescence. I always love characters driven story, and I appreciated how the characters here, through their actions, appear so flawed, and realistic. It's so easy to feel connected with them, and I was so thrilled to know more about the events that took them apart for a decade-long silence. Emotional, funny, and with so much heart, Love and Other Words, is absolutely a book I recommend, and that definitely lives up to the hype for me.

Ugh where do I even start. Such a beautiful book. The yearning was there. The couples story touched my soul. This is an unforgettable read!

Loved this book, smut is not for me though. It is a cute little romance story and exactly what I needed at that moment.