This was absolutely fantastic, I loved it so much!The story line is brilliant and unique, this story is based in the past and present and the way it's told is fantastic!I loved every moment of this book!I loved the slow build and even though it's not my favorite style in books in this one was perfect!

This isn't a simple romance it's so much more, it touch me in so many ways and I can easily say from now on this is my favorite book from Christina Lauren!I fall in love with Elliot and Macy!Their romance is sweet and it has angst!

This is a poignant and beautiful story that I could easily re-read!I highly recommend it to everyone!

This is a wonderful, heart warming novel about relationships, family and what it truly means to be honest to oneself.

In Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren, Pediatrics resident Macy Sorensen should be on top of the world. She's finally working in the field she's spent years going to school for and she's also getting married to a handsome, slightly older, man. Okay, so they haven't set a wedding date yet. Nor have they actually discussed anything about the wedding itself. But that's a big step up for someone as emotionally stunted as she is, considering she's still basically recovering from the childhood loss of first her mother and then later, her father. But all it takes is one chance meeting when she finds herself staring into the beautiful eyes of her former teenage love, Elliot Petropoulos, and everything she's worked towards gets thrown into chaos.

It's been eleven challenging years since Macy and Elliot have seen each other. And there is a whole mountain of bad feelings, confusion, and hurt to get through before they can even think to start over again, let alone become the close friends they once were. Communication used to be their forte, telling each other everything, including their favorite words and what was going on in their everyday lives. But one tragic night changed Macy's teenage world forever, just as she and Elliot were confessing their love for each other. He might not understand exactly what happened that night but she knows it's time to lay it all out there, whether she wants to or not. Confused and not knowing where her heart will take her, Macy is once again on the brink of some major changes in her life. Hopefully this time, though, it will be choices of her own making.

Love and Other Words was absolutely sweet torture. Seriously. Only dynamic duo Christina Lauren could make me so anxious about what went wrong to tear apart a perfect teenage couple, and yet still managed to make me laugh and sigh happily along the way.

I was intrigued when I heard a new novel–a women's fiction novel, no less–was being released by Christina Lauren. Now I'm a huge fan of, well, everything they've put out so I had a feeling Love and Other Words would be no different. I must say that they really outdid themselves here. Told from Macy's POV with a dual timeline, I can't even begin to describe how expertly they plotted this story out. Basically, each event that happened in Macy's adult life at present synced up perfectly with the flashback passages from her teen years, all leading up to the big betrayal/breakup between her and Elliot. And we had to wait until almost the very end of the book to find out the exact details. *But* Macy and Elliot's HEA was totally swoon-worthy and completely worth every exasperating moment leading up to it. See what I mean? Sweet torture.

As with Christina Lauren's other books, I adored the characters we met in Love and Other Words. Macy was awesome. She was flawed, relatable and genuine, highly intelligent, strong yet closed off emotionally. I felt so bad for her having lost her parents (at different times in her childhood) and how much it set her adrift in her life. Elliot was her tether to the present. He kept her grounded yet lifted her emotionally and intellectually. He was another terrific hero in a long line of great heroes by this writing team, and he was oh so lickable, er–I mean, likable. (lol) Elliot had that whole geek chic beta hero thing going on and he was such a nice guy. I loved watching him and Macy dance around their attraction, with all the fun bumbling teenage moments we got to see as they fell in love. Their breakup was heartbreaking, miscommunication playing a big part, as with most teenage relationships. But I have a feeling that it made them treasure finding each other again as adults, realizing that they truly were meant to be.

This engrossing book is why Christina Lauren remains on my autobuy list. From the lovable cast to the realistic situations and the lively dialogue, everything about their writing works for me. I think readers will fall hopelessly for Macy and Elliot and will cheer them on right from the start.

Christina Lauren are the queens of contemporary romance and I am addicted to their writing and stories. They just know how to tie you up and get the gasps and deep longing we desire from a romance novel. Love and Other Words hits every mark and then some.
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I have so many words that come into my mind about this story that it is hard to even say what I want to say. In the intro I talked about how this writing team just knows how to pull your emotional strings and drag you into the depths of longing between the characters.

This story is frustrating, yet so addicting. You want to know what happened. No, you are desperate to know… so you just keep holding your breath and keep on reading.

The connection and awkwardness of young love is almost tangible and you can completely relate to these two so we have to cheer them on. And the ending is romantic and sweet, and oh, so worth the agony we had to suffer.

The authors craft the most amazing stories. I just get whisked away and love to lose myself in every one of them. And now we have to wait yet again for the next one they dream up….

This. Book.

Macy Sorenson has life down to a perfect routine. Work, home, sleep, repeat. There's not much time in there for actually living, but Macy is more than comfortable with this, even if she's not exactly happy with it. She's getting by. That is, until she runs into Elliott Pretropoulos.

Elliott was Macy's Everyfriend until an incident eleven years ago pulled them apart, and broke her in the process. Now, this chance run-in has Macy re-evaluating the life she's been living for the past eleven years and wondering if there could be a future with Elliott if she can look beyond the past.

I was not prepared for this book at all. When I started reading, it seemed as though it would go along the lines of others books of this ilk. Boy and girl meet as young adults, friendship grows, love blossoms, something tears them apart, man and woman reunite years later. potential second chance romance ensues. For me, this book was so much more. It took all those preconceived ideas and turned them on their heads. The moment when Elliott asks Macy her favorite word was the moment everything clicked and I understood this would not be a typical second-chance romance.

Told in alternating time separated into "Then" and "Now", I felt like we get the best of both worlds a coming-of-age young adult story plus an adult romance. The thing that stood out and separated this read for me from others was the simple honesty between Elliott and Macy. They have a no-holds-barred relationship talking about everything from the death of Macy's mom when she was ten to books to kissing to sex. Their relationship both in the past and present was refreshing. I think it makes the incident that broke these two soulmates apart that much more unexpected. At least, part of it was unexpected. I won't go into it too much, but Christina Lauren gives readers a little feint in that regard, and when we do learn the full story it packed quite a punch for me.

This is one of those special books that makes you wish every read was the first time. A book that makes you stay up way too late because you don't want to put it down, and keeps you thinking about it long after you've finished. I had it on good authority that I would enjoy this book (I mean come on it's Christina Lauren), but I didn't know how much this book would give me all the feels. I cannot recommend this enough. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll swoon. Read this. Enjoy!

4 stars

It’s been about two weeks since I finished reading this book and I am still having trouble wrapping my mind about how I feel about it. First off I wanted to address the genre label it’s been given of “women’s fiction”. No. Just no. This was a romance through and through. Maybe those in charge want to market CL to a new audience and that’s fine, but I’ve had friends who’ve told me they love these authors but don’t want to read this book because it’s women’s fiction. Ladies, you have nothing to fear! Ignore the label and read on!

From the moment I opened up this book, I was in love with it. This was a stay up until 4 am (yes, you read that right. FOUR FRIGGIN AM) and sob your guts out kind of book. It’s so beyond compelling, I couldn’t put the damn kindle down! Second chance romance is my trope, I’ll read anything with that label. Christina Lauren did a wonderful job with it, I fell in love with Macy and Elliott and felt the ups and downs of their relationship, from the past when they fell in love as teens to the present day when they reconnect.

This was a 5 star read for me…… up until the very end. I cannot say exactly what happened as it gives away spoilers, and I do not give away spoilers. I will just say something happened that felt so completely out of character for one of the characters, and it really didn’t settle right. So much so that two weeks later I still have massive issues with it, even though it didn’t bother other people (and I would know, I have been PMing friends who read this like crazy). That being said, my issue with what happened did take away my overall enjoyment of the story and almost kind of marred what I had already read and loved and somewhat ruined it for me. But since this was a 4am-er and made me cry, I am settling with a four star rating. I do think many readers will not have the same issues I had with the book and will love it, so I encourage you if you’re curious to go ahead and read it.

This is the angsty, emotional book from Christina Lauren that will break your heart into a million pieces. If that intrigues you even a little bit, I recommend you read this book.

ARC provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful story told in alternating realities between past and present. Broaches the thoughts of first love and walling off your heart to let the brain steer your life. This will be one of the books on every beach this summer.

This was a quick read. I just had to keep reading and reading to find out what happens next. This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed how the past and the present intermingled to tell the reader Elliott’s and Macy’s story. These two people had a friendship and love they had never experienced with anyone else. Christina Lauren write in such a way that the reader feels for them on a deep level. I was 1000% invested in their journey. Macy hadn't had an easy life. She was dealing with a great loss when Elliott came into her life. They got each other and clicked from the first moment they met. I loved the younger versions of them as I was learning who they had become. As their story of their past got closer to what was happening in the present day with them, I thought I had an idea of where their journey would lead. BOY! Was I wrong! Be still my heart! I wasn't prepared and this book made me cry! This was a sweet, powerful, emotional journey and I can't love it enough! I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Loved Loved Loved!!! This book is pure bliss on so many levels. Not only do we have amazing characters to love, we have amazing characters who love books and words, and their favorite books and favorite words fuel their romance!

Love and Other Words is an enthralling read about friendship, first love, and broken hearts.

I am not including a summary--just read this book!

Oftentimes, I find romance novels tend to not go beyond the surface and are often just formulaic. Love and Other Words is a little formulaic, but what makes this so enjoyable is that the characters have depth. While they have their flaws, they are both likable and I loved reading about Elliot and Macy’s friendship and how they came to fall in love. There is also a level of emotional intensity that I was not expecting. While there is a happy ending, there are some unexpected tragedies.

I was obsessed while reading this and I had to force myself to put it down! It was a surprisingly good and satisfying escape from the dark thrillers that I normally read. This is the first book by Christina Lauren that I have read and I now plan on reading ALL of their books asap!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a beautiful story of lost chances at love, loss in general and then finding your way back to the one person that could give you the love and stability you need. I absolutely loved Elliot and Macy's story. These two were made for each other, they went through a lot, did they finally connect and make it work? You will have to read and find out. This one is a must read!!!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I wasn't sure if Christina Lauren would be able to make me love them more than I did for all the wonderfulness that is Autoboyography, but they totally did with Love and Other Words. I am getting a little misty just thinking about how wonderful this story was!

Who?

Macy - A doctor, who is engaged to an older, financially stable man, with whom she enjoys a comfortable relationship, but has yet to fully commit to him.

Elliot - Macy's former best friend and first love, who broke her heart, but still does not know why she disappeared from his life.

What?

After 11 years, fate intervenes, and Macy crosses paths with Elliot. From the very first glance at their reunion, Macy knew there was still a spark, and realizes how much she missed him in her life, but can she forgive him for what happened in the past and rekindled their friendship?

Why?

I honestly do not know where to start extolling my love for this book, but here's a list of things worth noting.

• This book made me feel so many things. I smiled and laughed and swooned, but I also shed a bunch of tears. There were sad tears and tragic tears, but there were also a bunch of happy tears.

• Man! Talk about making me wait! Christina Lauren kept the whole story to themselves for the bulk of the book, which made me nuts, but also kept me flipping the pages. As they flip between past and present, it's hard to understand what happened to destroy this friendship.

• I loved the alternating timeline, because it let me watch two romances unfold.

• I got to see them grow from ages 13 - 18, and I loved seeing what a beautiful and solid friendship they had. Some of the things they discussed were so intimate, and I have to comment Elliot on being such a great "girlfriend" to Macy when she really needed it.

• I have a special place in my heart for second chance romances, because they give me hope that not all endings are permanent, and the authors gave us one truly beautiful one in this book.

• Can we just talk about how wonderful Elliot's family was? They were so vibrant and loving and I want them to adopt me, but mostly I loved them, because of how lovely they were to Macy.

• Macy's dad was pretty special too. He had to raise his daughter on his own, and thank goodness, mom left him a list, because though he was trying, it was tough for him. I loved all the effort he made and his love and adoration for Macy was so obvious.

• These two were readers, like HUGE book nerds, and nobody loves a book nerd more than another book nerd. And seriously, their friendship and romance grew within the walls of Macy's closet-library.

• I loved Elliot!! I loved young Elliot and I loved grown Elliot. He was perfect, but he was precious. He was always very open and honest and he spoke from the heart, and he loved full on.

And, because I am such a sap, I have to dry the tears that started falling as I recounted things about this book. This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and it just filled my heart with so much joy. Nothing but love for this one.

A first foray into the genre of Women’s Fiction from the writing team of Christina Lauren, Macy and Elliott’s story is told concurrently by switching back and forth between two timelines: then and now. The initial flashback reads like a coming of age story where we see Macy and Elliot first meeting as teens who then develop a long lasting, deep relationship. They are both ardent readers so books and words are intrinsic to their time together and personal growth. The other part of the story is an adult contemporary romance. Two catastrophic events in Macy’s life define her: the first, the early loss of her mother which is the reason her father purchased a weekend/summer home in Elliot’s small town outside of San Francisco. The second event is a one-two punch also intertwined with Elliot fomenting their breakup after a heartbreaking betrayal. Neither Macy nor Elliot have even gotten over the other and when a chance meeting brings them back together again, they have a second opportunity at love.

Since their breakup, Macy has lived a numbed emotional life too afraid to ever invest her heart in anyone again. Although she is engaged, Sean is a safe choice and no risk to her soul. Elliott did not fare much better over the years not really understanding how Macy could just disappear from his life all the while knowing he hurt her deeply. Their connection went beyond a teen crush as both had expected to be together forever. Clearly Macy and Elliott were soulmates even at a young age so the loss of their relationship for eleven years has been emotionally wrenching to both of them. Fortunately Macy has a friend, Sabrina, who really sees past her defenses pushing Macy to go out of the safe zone to be honest about who and what she wants.

This story is told very well keeping me invested in the characters and riding the emotional roller coaster right along with them. Macy and Elliot seem so right together that you want them to find their way home because that is what they are for each other: home. The backdrop of their reading together and falling in love as they grow up is very appealing as well for readers who highly value the written and spoken word. Their long separation is also frustrating to those of us with tender hearts who don’t like the idea of people who clearly belong together losing their way. It seemed a little odd to me that neither Macy nor Elliot tracked down the other after such a close relationship; however, other than that aspect, I enjoyed this story. Telling a concurrent story in this format is not easy, but I think the writers do it rather well. This tale of love, lost and regained, will work you over emotionally to arrive at the place where joy happens, but it is worth the journey.

Love and Other Words is a breathtaking, heartbreaking, unforgettable coming of age story of grief and loss, of first loves and second chances, all set against a backdrop of meaningful words and classic books. So I suppose it's only fitting that the words I feel I so desperately need in this moment to properly describe how phenomenal I found this novel to be would evade me now. There are no words that seem adequate yet there are so many words that come to mind. Brilliant. Riveting. Intense. Passionate. Sweet. But my favorite word? Flawless.  

Christina Lauren exquisitely crafts this incredible story through alternating chapters in the past and in the present. The past follows a grief stricken Macy as she finds solace in words and in Elliott, the boy next door to the vacation home she spends her free days in. The past chapters detail Macy and Elliott as they grow up together, as they get to know each other over their mutual love of words and books, as they fall into a beautiful friendship and ultimately test the waters of first love. The present, though, finds them estranged and this story takes the reader through an excruciatingly addictive journey toward discovering what went wrong. 

I can't tell you how perfect I found this book to be. I can't tell you how desperately I wish I could reread it right this second. Everything about Love and Other Words is so right, so perfect, so superbly crafted. Every poignant moment in this love story touched me. Every devastating revelation cut me somewhere deep. Every sweet word, every taste of adolescent jealousy and confusion, each moment of grief, every beautiful glimpse of a father's love, every frustrating scene, every sensual touch, every second of longing and heartache reached inside me and left something there that I'm not giving back. This book is meticulously pieced together, so superbly executed, all of it coming together in the most unforgettable, brilliant story and as wordy as I may be in this moment, the right words, the words that would do this book the justice it deserves, just won't come. 

To call this book a second chance romance feels insufficient. This story is bigger than that. This book should find itself in the secret hidden shelves of a private little library where two kids fell in love on these pages, a room full of classic stories that everyone should know and experience. This is arguably the best book Christina Lauren has ever written. This is unequivocally one of my new favorite books. And this is one story that I'd insist every single person reads as soon as they possibly can because it is just that good. I might not have the right words to describe this masterful story but Christina Lauren delivers all of them on these pages. And it is perfection.

This novel keeps you turning pages to discover what the life altering break-up was all about. These two, Macy and Elliot, are so made for each other that we can’t imagine them coming apart. But come apart they do and they separate for eleven years.

Delve into the minds and hearts of adolescents then teens and finally adults. It took them a long time to come together, needing to put past mistakes and misunderstandings to rest.

This book was somewhat depressing. There was little in the way of humor or light-heartedness. The two protagonists did little more than read together for most of their teen years. Macy did confide her feelings to Elliot and he was there for a shoulder to support her but she didn’t seem to return the favor. But then, Elliot didn’t seem to need support. There is a surprise that I didn’t see coming. It was an engrossing read and very well written.

This book was phenomenal. I loved the structure of flipping back and forth between past and present--and how beautifully they captured the magic of first love.

There is absolutely nothing that Christina Lauren has written that I have not loved. I own all but two of their books (the first two YA releases they published actually), and I don't see that pattern stopping any time soon. Honestly there are no other authors that I've found that come close to the great blend of romance and humor, as well as tenderness and warmth. Every book they release is an hit with me and I always look forward to what they're going to publish next.

While I still don't think the writing duo, Christina Lauren, are as strong with their general women's fiction than they were with their contemporary romances, they're still quite good and worthy of a read. They remain on my list of authors I like to read immediately when their latest comes out, so that's saying something!

Realistic, funny, sad. These authors always write good quality well written books!

This one has some gut wrenching moments. Girl and guy get together, then there is one drunken night that destroys their lives. Eleven years later they meet, and all the hurt and secrets comes out. It just seemed like it took a long time for the truth to come out and then the ending was rushed. Still, a good read.