Love and Other Words

4/5 stars

Macy Sorensen is a pediatrician who doesn’t have much time for anything outside of work. She’s engaged to a man she met a few months prior and while she thinks she’s happy, she has to question if she’s just settling down because it’s convenient. Enter, Elliot. Elliot was her first and only love and a man she hasn’t seen in years. As we bounce back and forth between past and present we learn more and more about their history and why they abruptly stopped talking until a decade later. 

This story was really sweet. I loved how Macy and Elliot were bookworms and had an innocent teen romance that was so deep. I found that their connection was more complex and intriguing than other romances I typically read. The timelines also helped and kept me turning the pages because I really wanted to know how such a deep connection could end within a matter of hours. 

I was a bit disappointed by the end and final revelation. I thought so much could be avoided had one conversation happened years earlier. Instead of just eliminating the entire book, the conversation would have allowed for more exploration and processing of a traumatic night that broke them up. 

Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was a quick read and perhaps my favorite of Christina Lauren’s. If you are looking for a contemporary romance that delves deeper than just a meet-cute, this may be for you.