"Love and Other Words" (Gallery Books), by Christina Lauren

Who hasn't wondered at one time or another about his or her first love? Does he still like to read? Is she just as sweet? With the help of a bouncing timeline, Christina Lauren takes a unique look at the evolution of infatuation in "Love and Other Words."

 

When Macy's mother died, her father purchased a weekend home a few hours away so his young daughter could grieve in private, away from memories. Macy adored the house and dove deeper into her love of books, thanks to a library her father set up in a closet. She also surprisingly bonded with the boy next door who liked to lose himself between the pages of a novel. Elliot was just the friend Macy needed at the tender age of 12.

As the years passed, Macy and Elliot continued to connect with books and words and soon reached the age where they discovered that their relationship could transition into something more than just friends. Then one night, an event obliterated their bond and the soul mates never saw each other again. Until now.

After a decade apart, Elliot unexpectedly waltzes back into Macy's life. Macy is immediately drawn to the familiarity of her first love, which proves to be very inconvenient considering she's engaged to another man. But as Elliot and Macy begin to reconnect on friendly terms, Macy realizes that what happened so many years ago never changed her deep-rooted feelings for the boy next door.

Christina Lauren writes a simple love story with a flashback twist. Hopping from year to year helps the reader to engage with the characters on a personal level. Macy and Elliot endear themselves to us as we watch them grow from their sweet beginnings to their current challenges. Readers who enjoy a good old-fashioned romance are sure to enjoy "Love and Other Words."