4.5 stars ( )

Loved this! 🥰🥰🥰
Five Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is my first time reading anything by Christina Lauren and I really enjoyed it. I probably would not have come across this book if it wasn’t for BookTok, so thank you fellow readers for the suggestion. 🙌

The Story
13 year olds, Macy Sorensen and Elliot Petropoulis become best friends almost immediately when Macy’s dad purchases the property across the street from the Petropoulis family as a weekend/holiday retreat. Macy’s mom passed away from cancer when she was 10 and the purchase of this vacation home was a suggestion from her mom to help with the grieving process. The story transitions from the past (then) to the present (now) and highlights Macy and Elliot’s childhood friendship that turns into something much deeper, love, but an unfortunate event obliterates their relationship until they run into to each other after not speaking for 11 years!!!!

Thoughts
I really enjoyed Lauren’s writing style. I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t resist reading just one more chapter. Truly, this book could be finished in one sitting if your schedule allows. The characters were likable and their relationship was relatable. Watching their childhood friendship turn into a beautiful love story was enchanting, sweet, funny, and had me feeling like a teenager again. 🥰 Also the twists at the end, whoa… I didn’t see that coming, and the way it all wrapped up was so good and satisfactory! 💕🙌💕

Things I Loved❤️
-Macy and Elliot’s love for reading.
-The library Macy’s dad made for her in the closet.
-The touching letters Macy’s mom left for Macy and her dad.
-The word game that Macy and Elliot played.
-The sweet discovery of falling in love.

Things I Didn’t Love
-There’s a revelation that happens at the end of the book surrounding Elliot that I can’t get into without spoiling, but I feel like there should have been more light shed on the situation, especially for the target audience (YA).

Quotes
"Do you think of her in this room? Is that why you love this room?"
"I love this room because I love reading." And because when I find a book that makes me lose myself for just one hour, I forget. And because my dad thinks of my mom every time he buys me a book. And because you're here and I feel about a thousand times less lonely with you.

“I'm not going anywhere Mace. I need you the same way you need me, okay?”

“I like your kind of quiet. Your heart isn’t quiet.”

“Favourite word?” he whispers.
I don’t even hesitate: “You.” ( )

Enjoyed the two characters in theory but OMG the over the top drama & lack of communication.

Two teens in love losing touch and falling back in love years later after a chance meeting would have been just as good without the BUT WHY DID YOU DITCH ME FOR 11 YEARS? It also seemed very over the top with the intensity level of things.

The teen sections were better than the adult parts, IMO except for the conversations with Sabrina (the best friend) which I really enjoyed too. ( )

It was pretty good but I found the hiding of the reason they "couldn't be together" til the very end annoying ( )

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

Macy and Elliot were childhood friends, actually more that . They were everything to each other, first love never goes away. Macy moves on without speaking to him for over a decade, she is at a crossroad in life.

Then she runs into Elliot unexpectedly, (her) emotions are churning within. Memories resurface and haunts from the past must be met.When the past meets the present decisions need to be made.

Moving at a fast pace told from past to present with likable characters. Love, loss, family and friendship prevail in this heart-felt love story.

Overall I found Love and Other words very enjoyable. I highly recommend to those who love a romantic love stories. ( )