4.5 stars!

Love Lettering is a quiet kind of love story - the kind that starts slow and uncertain but will ultimately sneak up on you and catch you in the feels. Meg and Reid are an unlikely pair (probably partially attributed to the fact that she designed the wedding program for his now cancelled wedding) but their differences compliment one another beautifully in this story. Love Lettering is about finding yourself and someone who loves you for that, while navigating career paths and friendships that don't always make life an easy ride.

For those who like a fast-paced steamy novel, this may not be the romance for you - but it grabbed a hold on me and didn't let go. There are one or two red hot scenes but this one is fairly tame in this regard!

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn is definitely on my list of books I loved 2019. I liked it so much I read it twice. Meg Mackworth a calligrapher, is in one of those dips we all go through in our lives, her professional life is at a crossroads she’s moderately successful as the Planner of Park Slope but is not sure that she wants to continue in that direction and she has what could be a huge opportunity if only she could work her way through the creative block that has her stymied. On the personal front her relationship with her best friend has drifted in a limbo state where although they still share an apartment they no longer spend time together or really talk and she’s walking on eggshells trying to figure out how to make it work again and not knowing why it’s like this. So when a former client Reid Sutherland walks into the shop where she is working wanting to know why and how she knew his up-coming marriage was a mistake it’s a bit of a wake-up call and she asks for his help in overcoming her creative standstill and together they explore the city she loves and he hates. This is a witty friends to lovers story with a lovely slow burn and a Clark Kent hero who’s buttoned down and nerdy but really hot and hiding a big secret.
Medium Steam. Publishing Date December 31, 2019 #NetGalley #LoveLettering #KensingtonBooks #KateClayborn #ContemporaryRomance #BestRomancesof2019

I enjoyed this one but will admit that it was a slow starter for me. I felt a bit overwhelmed at first inside Meg’s mind, keeping up, following along. However, that may have been simply because I am not an artist nor into lettering. The story actively started engaging me around 25% in.

Meg is a lettering artist in NY; Reid is a quant (quantitative analyst). They both have their own issues (Meg discovered some painful family secrets; Reid, because of his intelligence and stiff manner, is often misunderstood). I loved how they began their time together (unique games!), the slow build here was wonderful and they truly felt like soulmates.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for providing the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

From start to finish this book just BLEW ME AWAY. The emotional depth. The learning to be brave and the raw honesty. The connection and INTIMACY… an intimacy that starts long before anyone’s clothes come off. (But don’t worry. Clothes do come off !) Love Lettering is creative writing at its best and a legitimate work of art.

*blows dusts off Eng Lit degree/expired Language Arts license*

Really though. Really. From a Literature with a big L perspective this book is so impressive. I think it moves the bar for romance as a genre and pushes the limits for what it can be and where it can go. The way she uses the letters and font like living things, like characters themselves…it is CAPTIVATING. Like book magic.


And the way KC uses POV… I’m trying to put my finger on it…she crafts this story if we are literally watching Meg’s thoughts. It’s sometimes not entirely linear (just like actual human thought) but it’s never for a moment disjointed or awkward or confusing. It’s wonderful. Such unique, skillful storytelling.

Also. I’m grateful for the psoriasis rep. I was recently diagnosed with a form of psoriasis so this was nice to see.

Do not miss Love Lettering. I am officially seeing the world in whimsically swirling letters and fonts. And it’s a glorious, happy thing, indeed.

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the chance to review an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Call it serendipity... As soon as I started reading this exeprpt all sorts of lettering/journal started to happen all around me...

Anyhow, I found this tidbit very tantalizing. I would love to read the whole book and see what happens to the accusations and love lettering being auspicious or not. I believe I can come to really like the main character. She is so fun and worthy to follow.

Can't wait for the whole thing.

ARC received from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t get sucked in until about 50% in. Then I couldn’t put it down! Meg’s and Reid’s relationship was real and endearing, even if a tad unconventional. I found the writing to be beautiful, detailed and heartfelt. The characters had depth, were messy in their own respects. It’s always refreshing to get lost in a romance that isn’t storybook perfect. The storyline was scattered at times, and I’m not sure it needed all subplots that it did, but it was still very enjoyable.

Recommend if you’re a fan of Christina Lauren’s more “serious” books.

The excerpt is so cute! So far I want to know what happens with her and Reid! There is a lot about Sans Serif boldface font which is a little different, but I am still curious to read the rest!

I really wanted to love this book, but it was just OK for me. Parts of the romance story were nice, but the lettering sections were a little obscure in places, and the story took a turn for the worse in the last half.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I stayed up late finishing this book. That is a rare occurrence these days. So while I don’t think this was perfect, it was consuming. It was intricate and interesting and unique.

This is the story of Meg, a hand letterer who is having a bit of a mid-life crisis. She has a big career opportunity and is having a creative block and is lonely, with her best friend drifting away. This has a romance but Meg was central to the story as it is told from her POV entirely. I do prefer a less one-sided story with greater interaction between the hero and heroine, but Clayborn weaves magic here and drew me in. Reid, the hero, was lovely. He was shy, reserved, awkward. He was honest, caring and patient. While I loved Meg, I would have enjoyed Reid’s POV too. Their attraction was clear from the start, and how they overcame their self-imposed obstacles was a fun journey.

So, I have been sitting on this review for a week now. And I haven’t been sure what I wanted to say. These things come easy sometimes, others not. I guess it’s a not this time. What I know is that Kate Clayborn is an amazing writer. Her writing moves me in small or significant ways every time I read her stories. This was no exception.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This is my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request for an ARC of this book. The review below is entirely my own opinion.

It took me awhile to get into this story. Honestly, I felt like I couldn’t relate to either character but there’s something about the plot that kept me turning the pages.

I also really thought after reading the blurb that there would be something paranormal or magical to Meg’s ability. I was disappointed to find out that there wasn’t and that she wasn’t a witch or had any magical abilities. 🙁

Note: I personally enjoyed the amount of detail in the descriptions of Meg’s work. There’s a lot of detail that pepper the entire story. Like a lot, a lot. I didn’t mind, but that’s probably because I’ve always found calligraphy and hand lettering to be fascinating. But I can understand why other reviewers have said they DNF’d or got bored. Just an FYI.

Love Lettering was charming and refreshing, pulling me in from the first page and keeping me hooked until I had finished it in one day. The little world Clayborn creates is heartwarming and heartbreaking and the characters feel real and substantial and complicated.

The inciting event technically happened a year before the book opens when Meg, a hand-lettering superstar on the rise hid a message in the wedding program she did for Reid and Avery. The wedding never happened and Reid shows up with the program demanding to know how she knew the marriage would have been a "mistake." Meg is feeling creatively blocked and incredibly guilty for indulging in this secret message she never thought anyone would notice... and she reaches out to Reid later to try to cheer him up and get herself motivated.

This set up shouldn't make sense but it works and the two become friends and then more and it feels natural as these two lonely weirdos help each other. There's a bit of a plot twist toward the end that ramps up the drama but it doesn't feel forced or like it comes out of nowhere (the signs were there). The resolution is sweet and by the end you just want to spend more time with these people (and take a hand-lettering course).

This except has me utterly upset I couldn't binge this entire book. It sounds like the romcom I didn't know I needed I my life and I need the rest of this book ASAP! Thank you for my sneak peek, I can't wait to read the rest.

Meg and Reid meet cute - sort of- when she designs the program and other materials for his wedding to Avery, a wedding that doesn't happen but Meg doesn't know that when Reid shows up at the shop she works out of to show her that he's found the word "mistake" in her work! HAH! Against all odds, these two- an artist and a math guy in banking - built a special and deeply romantic relationship. I admit to not understanding the game they play with signs throughout NYC but that didn't matter- the heart came through. I learned a bit about calligraphy (I'll never look at Bloom Where You Are Planted the same way too!). There are some terrific supporting characters (why is Sibby acting oddly? what about Lark- love Lark!). Reid's not a relaxed person- but there's - heads up - a lengthy very steamy part (and another shorter one later). This isn't a straight line romance and there's one heck of an interesting twist near the end. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

I have received a copy of the full arc, so I will provide feedback on that one, rather than this excerpt.

Thank you!

The first chapter of this contemporary romance is the perfect introduction. It provides just the right balance of background information about what happened when Meg and Reid met and mystery about their reunion. I can't wait to find out what Meg saw that compelled her to risk her livelihood to essentialky warn him that his marriage was doomed. And what does he want from her now?.

There are books you feel, that you see, that hit all the senses. Love Lettering is one of those. Meg and Reid see the world differently, and yet the same, in patterns, letters vs numbers. After a rocky start, Meg and Reid grow close while playing "games" that are meant to help Meg break out of a creative block, but which also show Reid, and us, all the vitality that is Brooklyn. Everything comes alive. A complete sense of place is here, all the sights, sounds, and smells.

I loved seeing Meg's thoughts, how everything is reflected in the imagery of lettering. From signs to people to emotions. Even having Reid's expression described as a "swoonsh" - it is a visual, a feeling, an impression, and I loved it. Meg is a great blend of characteristics: introspective, observant, ambitious enough to start her own business, reluctant to fight but willing to learn. I loved her vitality, even when she was questioning herself.

Reid is perfectly "Masterpiece Theater" - a description that tells us everything. How he stands. How he folds his coat over his arm. The placement of the napkin on his lap. The sound of the word "good." The idea is to reflect the linear quality of numbers, but he is also charming, quiet, stoic, solid, warm.

I loved that we see Meg and Reid grow together over time. It's a real relationship, real growth, not just hot and bothered for a weekend and let's see where it goes. No, these two grow together through all kinds of stuff, work stuff, friend stuff, life stuff. Pacing is excellent, the passage of time never feels like it's dragging or worse, ignored.

Sexy times are on the page and they are sexy but also deeply emotional. The slow burn of the growing relationship, the foreplay of three little kisses, trying to stay in L-I-K-E, the heat, the "I see you" hug when the world is falling down - it is all there.

Side characters are interesting and funny and charming. They all add to the setting and the story, to the relationships Meg has in her life and how they are part of her personal story. And any of them would be fun to explore in another story but no one feels like they are dying to be the star of their own book, so not distracting or detracting at all from Meg and Reid.

I absolutely loved this book. And now I'll be seeing swirls and swooshes and curls everywhere I go.

CW: Parent separation

I loved this book, and loved reading about Meg and Reid. Meg is a hand-lettering guru that pens planners for the elite, and Reid is a former client. His ex-fiancé had hired Meg to create their wedding invitations and programs, and Meg hid the word “Mistake,” which Reid finds.

I actually didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, but it was heart-warming, and I loved the dramatic element- it was nice to have it be something other than a love triangle.

I also have a new favorite word thanks to author Kate Clayborn- “swoonsh.” I can see what that looked like so vividly, and I find myself thinking about it when I see people in real life smile a certain way.

This is going to be released on December 31, and would definitely make a great first read for 2020, or a great last read for 2019.

I was generously provided an ARC of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. Any opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the plot of this book and the slow burn between the characters. And I love books that have messages. I love this author’s extraordinary writing style. I love everything about it.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Kate Clayborn for an excerpt in exchange for an honest review.

So frustrated with excerpts. I can’t stand when I get an approval from NetGalley and get all excited to read a book only to find out it’s an excerpt!! I never request things on a whim and somehow I always miss that it is an excerpt. They should put it in big red letters - honestly.

So nothing to do with the actual book. What I read I was excited for. Now I have to wait another 3 weeks until it is released. Yes, I still want to read it. What I read was exactly what I was hoping for and got me curious. But also frustrated - so, so frustrated.

When I started reading this book, all I could think of was the phrase killing me softly

This book is full of this quiet angst, the kind you feel everyday in relationships. The kind you relate to, wondering what you did, where you went wrong, if mistakes are really ever forgiven and what they mean. And holy hell, this will be my fourth review of Kate Clayborn where I'm at a loss for what to even say.

It will be a time I say once again why I love her-her inclusiveness as a matter-of-life. Her feminism, quietly shining through the page. Her evolved men who are clearly, incredibly leaders without (and sometimes with) the grunting physical presence. Is that enough? I will mention her settings again. This time, in New York, this time taking in every sign and letter. Relating numbers to letters. As if I didn't love this author enough. Her settings, the characters careers, the secondary characters all speak to make a complete, beautiful, fully alive story. And she twists the knife. Subtly, slowly. And you just get it. You feel it.

But that's not all. Because this is key: She writes extraordinary love stories for basically ordinary people falling in love in ordinary ways. She does so convincingly, quietly....killing us softly.

Reid and Meg burst with courage. They grow because of each other. They explore vulnerabilities, so much so we often take a deep breath with Meg when she begins her direct confrontations. And though I didn't find what Reid was doing much of a mystery, I appreciated the way it was integrated in the story and the conflict it created. It was well done without being sensationalized.

This book is all first person POV, and I didn't mind. I enjoyed getting to know Reid through Meg's open book. Through her loneliness and desperation, and I enjoyed getting to see her friends in the same way.

And despite this, I felt I knew Reid quite well because he was direct. That said, he is easily one of the most unique heroes I've ever read. Reid still felt whole, and I just loved him. I loved everyone in this book. I loved Meg's development and finding her own way. I loved the settings. Her unique job. His unique passion.

Love, Love, Love, it beats.
yep, that about sums it up.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. This has not affected my views on this book. I can't wait to get my hard copy, in fact.