4* Charming Romance Stars

I was fortunate to be able to receive and read the first chapter of Love lettering from Kensington Books and NetGalley back in September and was very intrigued as to where this story was going to go. When I received the completed book, I dived into it straightaway and was not disappointed.

I connected straightway with Meg who is a rather quirky artist with an ability to see what others cannot. I had some laugh out loud moments with her inner dialogue throughout the book. I enjoyed reading how Meg and Reid overcame their struggles and emotions and their relationship evolved slowly from friendship to love.

This is a very well-written, heart-warming very slow burn romance. The cover of the book is gorgeous too.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for my copy to read and review.

Such a fun book! I was hooked after just a few pages. I love all the imagery with the letters and the story was sweet but not too predictable. I loved Meg and Reid and their chemistry. I’ll definitely be looking to read more books by Kate Clayborn.

It's entirely perfect that a book about a hand letterer makes me think so much about words. As in, Kate Clayborn knows how to use words. I found myself highlighting entire passages throughout this book. This author is a poet and as a reader, I count myself lucky to have her writing my favorite genre.

I admit I was skeptical of the book when I realized that the entire book is only told from the heroine Meg's perspective. In romance I generally like dual POV because I like getting both characters' internal dialogue as the relationship develops. Often a focus on the heroine's point of view can make it feel like women's fiction. Every time I started to feel Love Lettering veer in that direction, Clayborn saves it. Yes, living in Meg's head only means we are very focused on Meg's experience, but Reid spends a lot of time on the page and their romance is always the driving force of the story. The juxtaposition of Meg's affinity for words and Reid's gift for numbers was delightful. They're not in opposition of each other the way letter people and numbers people usually are; for Meg and Reid, letters and numbers work in harmony to convey something meaningful. I tend to measure my enjoyment of a romance by how much I would want to be friends with the heroine (totally would) and how much I want to date/bang the hero (um, absolutely!). That first kiss? One, two, three...

Some other things I loved in this story:
1. Strong, realistic female friendships. Romance often portrays strong female friendships, but I was amazed and appreciative of the depiction of how relationships shift as women reach middle adulthood. Careers, romantic partnerships, children, etc. cause friendships to change. I felt for Meg as Sibby was pulling away from her; I was excited as she grew closer to Lark and recognized her bond with Cecilia and Lachelle.
2. I may have missed it, but I don't remember a physical description of Meg. I have no idea what the author intended for her to look like apart from her sassy taste in clothing. In a genre that focuses so much on the female body one way or the other (either in an idealized, thin-and-curvy-and-perfect way or in a not-thin-and-screw-mainstream-beauty-standards-overtly way), it was refreshing for the focus to be on the emotional journey of the characters and for so little attention to be paid to their packaging. Even if there was a description and I just missed it, the fact that I was allowed to miss it is pretty freaking incredible.
3. It may seem like a small thing, but the extremely honest description of what it's like to have your period? So appreciated. Romance heroines never seem to be sloppy, or sick, or anything unless it serves the story, and Meg wanting to gobble chocolate and curl up around a heating pad is...well, thank you to the author for writing this, to the editors for letting it stay, and the publishers for being willing to print it.

All told, I found Love Lettering to be a heartfelt and moving story. It feels very real to me. The use of words and language left me gobsmacked. I was rooting for the MCs the entire time. Kate Clayborn knows how to tell a story and I hope she never stops sharing them with the rest of us.

This was a sweet, quirky romance about two people with their own baggage falling in love. I loved the glimpse into an artistic life - the information about lettering was interesting - and the NYC setting. The storyline moved a bit slowly, although by the end I could see where all of the pieces fell into place. I'd recommend it for readers who like their characters well-developed and the story very detailed.

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC to review!

Extraordinary writing, delightful characters and a unique plot made this one of my favorite books of the year! Meg is a witty yet flawed heroine, which I think readers enjoy because we can relate. And Reid. Oh my word, Reid. He is such an amazing imaginary guy. One of my favorite fictional heroes of 2019!
This is a beautiful story with the perfect balance of romance, friendship and conflict between the whole cast of characters. Plus the author gets bonus points for taking her audience on a very enjoyable stroll through New York City.
Content warning for highly sensitive readers: there's an intimate scene or two with a heat level that may take you by surprise.
Friends, don't miss this one. It's the perfect book to start your new reading year.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC. The opinions shared here are my own.

This was so cute! I loved how this story evolved and became a much more complex story over the course of the book. After their initial meeting, Meg and Reid reconnect under unusual circumstances. Instead of creating an expected, explosive conflict, the author creates a compelling story of two imperfect people who find their way to one another. I loved the descriptions of New York City and how I could imagine these characters strolling through the streets with one another, finding inspiration in the city and in each other. I will absolutely be recommending this book to people.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

It took me a while to get into this book but once I did, I was absolutely hooked. I love the idea of Meg's job (I love gorgeous journals and planners, even though I'm awful at actually using them) and I also loved Meg. Reid took some time.

This was a great choice for my last review book of 2019. It's sweet and funny and completely hot---just an all around good choice.

I don't know why it took me a few chapters to take, but I'm so glad I was patient with it. I would've hated to miss this one.

What a delightful book!
I went into this thinking I knew what was going to happen - yes, they do end up together, but the way to get there... Wow! That was a roller coaster mixed with a comfort blanket mixed with the best comfort food drink you can imagine. LOL, doesn't make much sense, but you have to read this book to understand what I felt.
And the writing itself! It had me laughing and guffawing every so often, the tone so natural and flowing and I absolutely loved that everything was 'skewed' through the perception of an artist, how the heroine saw everything in signs and fonts. It was quirky and 'lovely weird' and just made the characters even more engaging and delightful.
One of the best surprises of 2019, for sure! Go read it!

This is a mostly sweet urban romance, featuring the creative Meg and the numbers-focused Reid, who initially seem like total opposites. Meg’s hand-lettering business is taking off, but she’s feeling blocked and uninspired until she and Reid begin exploring the city together, looking at all the hidden lettering scattered on signs throughout different neighborhoods, playing intricate games with their discoveries, and getting to know one another in unexpected ways.

There are complications, of course, but the story is fairly straightforward and light. I did enjoy Meg’s female friendships, especially how she learns to confront and argue constructively rather than avoiding the relationships and dynamics that make her uncomfortable. The plot takes a turn toward the end that feels like a tonal shift, although the love story elements remain. I felt somewhat distant from Meg and her business, as it’s so specialized and caters so specifically to a rich clientele who can afford to splurge excessive amounts of money on things like hand-illustrated day planners, and likewise her endless thoughts on the meaning of letters and their shapes didn’t really do much for me.

Still, as a whole, I enjoyed the book. It’s a quick read, and I think it would be a decent choice for some non-taxing holiday reading.

I enjoyed reading "Love Lettering" by Kate Clayborn! It's fun, light-hearted reading that reminded me of a Hallmark movie in a way. As a writer myself, I loved the connection to letters and hidden messages. It's a perfect novel to cuddle up with a blanket, a cup of cocoa, and read!

Thank you to Net gall eye and Kensington for a copy of this book.

This was a really cute book with a cute premise. Meg was an all around likeable character and you found yourself rooting for her.
Although it was good and had a cute epilogue, it was a bit slow throughout the first half. A bit too much of a slow burner for the type of book it is.

As a romance reader, I loved this. As a New Yorker, I loved this. As a fountain pen and stationery geek, I really loved this. Basically, I loved Meg and Reid's story. Two hurt people silently and shyly falling in love in my beloved adopted New York along with my much adored Tombow and Micron pens - it was like their story was meant for me.
I hide things. My feelings about things in my life, or in the lives of people I care about. I hide them in my letters, and I hide them when I’m talking about the weather or Frisbee or whatever other thing I fill up the space with.
Meg is a newly minted Instagram star of custom hand lettering known for her wedding and journal creations. Despite her success, she's desperately lonely as she struggles to find inspiration and belonging. She's dismayed when Reid confronts her about a secret message she put in his (now canceled) wedding program. Meg and Reid were both so weighed down by secret hurts and pasts that both of them had to figure out themselves before they could figure out how to fall in love with each other.

Meg and Reid do an awkward dance around New York as they discover the city and each other. I loved learning more about Meg as she confronted her fear of losing her best friend, trying to be a good friend to someone new, and coping with her painful past. If there is any place best to do all those, it is of course, New York.

Now I'm off to wander around New York looking for signs and hoping that Kate Clayborn will write another installment in this gorgeously secretive love letter to New York.

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

This hooked me in from the very beginning and didn’t let up all the way through. An understated and incredibly unique romance, Love Lettering features an adorably nerdy hero and the quirky heroine who complements him perfectly. The intricate descriptions of New York and typography will make you fall for the city as much as you do for Meg and Reid. In any other book, the descriptions would’ve been too much, but it’s so well written that it just made me that much more absorbed in the story.

Essentially, the story follows Meg, a woman who has become somewhat famous for her handwriting (think wedding invitations and anything else that requires some fancy lettering). The fame has given her a creative block, and it isn’t until a former client walks through her door that things start to change. A year ago, Meg did the lettering on Reid’s wedding invitations, and after observing his interactions with his fiancée, Meg predicted the relationship would be doomed to fail. When Reid - a man who makes his living looking at numbers and codes - accuses Meg of voicing her opinion about his doomed relationship via a hidden message on the wedding invitations, she’s forced to reflect on what led her to that point. The two forge an unlikely friendship of sorts that heals their broken pieces as they slowly fall for each other.

I loved the slow burn here - these two start out as strangers, almost adversaries, and gradually develop into more. Reid’s not the easiest guy to like (at least on the surface), but I fell for him in a big way. This is told exclusively from Meg’s perspective so the reader is left as much in the dark about Reid’s feelings as Meg is, which made the journey an interesting one. I’ll openly admit that I’m not one who usually enjoys lengthy descriptions of settings, etc., but typography plays a major role in the story and it totally worked for me. You’ll probably either love that or hate it, but it makes it so easy to visualize what Meg sees. I will say that this is such an understated, often serious, read that it doesn’t move particularly quickly, but it held my attention from start to finish without any loss of interest. If you’re looking for a well written, slow burn romance with characters who are as quirky as they are lovable, this is definitely worth your time. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review of this charming romance.

There was so much to enjoy about this romance! The main characters felt real, I love reading about hand lettering, there was a lovely arc about friendship that was as important as the romance, and I'm always a fan of invented pop culture in books, and this one has a great example of it. It's a quiet book, feels very intimate, and a slow burn, all of which I really appreciated.

I have a couple of minor quibbles. The book is written in first person from only the female main character's POV, so we never are in the male character's head. He's a buttoned up person to begin with, and I understand the choice from a plot perspective, but I wish I'd had more of a window into him.

I am also just so sick of whenever math is mentioned, that someone has to be terrible at math, which is the case for the main female character. It does nothing for a character to make her bad at math, except uphold the stereotype that normal people are bad at math and only weirdos are good at it, or that being bad at math is some sort of badge of honor. Really gets my goat.

My other quibble is that for a book that has an element of codes, puzzles, etc., I wish they had been more imaginative. This is obviously because this kind of stuff is important to me personally so when I see it in books I want to think the writer has genuinely come up with something clever (or consulted with someone who could) instead of reading and thinking, oh, that's all we've got? I am well aware I have an unreasonably high standard here.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

Happy sigh. I loved this book so much and am only sad it’s finished. I miss Meg and Reid already and I just closed the book.

Meg is The Planner of Park Slope - known for her gorgeous hand lettering custom planners for her clients. She used to also do work for weddings - invitations, programs, etc. And if she sometimes hides messages in her work...well, no harm done - right? No one has ever noticed any of her hidden messages. Until Reid - the groom of a wedding last year - shows up to ask how she knew his wedding wouldn’t work out.

There are so many things I loved in this book. The beautiful descriptions of lettering and fonts. The love for NYC. Characters working on being better communicators (always one of my very favorite things to see). Meg’s personal growth. I’m being intentionally vague so I don’t give anything away but please put this one on your tbr!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the free book to review.

Kate Clayborn’s book, Love Lettering was truly a work of art for me. I was engrossed with the story from the very first page. I did not stop and was fully engrossed with the story and the characters. Clayborn wrote a beautiful love story that developed organically with amazing dialogue with all the swoon and feels you will crave for. 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. This is my very first Kate Clayborn read and if the rest of her library is half as good as Love Lettering, I'm destined to become a devoted reader.

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.

This was cute for the most part. I liked the main character, Maeg, a lot. She was relatable but still had a sweet edge to her. The romance was okay but it was too much of a slow burn for me as i wanted it to hurry up a bit in places. I liked the writing style and felt this was a fun little beach read.

I am definitely the outlier here. A lot of people gave this great reviews and the premise sounded promising so I decided to give it a chance. Overall, it wasn't a bad book but the descriptions were so elaborate and sometimes I would have wished for less unnecessary description and more time spent on the characters' dynamics and overall personality. I found myself bored a lot throughout the story and wasn't rooting for the couple. I'd be willing to give Clayborn another chance, though. Perhaps with a more character-based story.