How to End a Love Story is a delightful romance about two people linked together through tragedy. I enjoyed the premise and thought the love interest was pretty swoon-worthy. My only complaint is that the pace slowed marginally about halfway through the book, but otherwise it was great! I gave it a four-star rating because I enjoyed it and would recommend it to a friend, but I wouldn't read it again.

A story of love lost and found, but not in the typical way. Helen Zhang’s younger sister Michelle dies unexpectedly when both are in high school. Classmate Grant Shepard finds himself inadvertently involved by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fast forward 13 years, and the reader can see how much Helen and Grant’s lives have been irrevocably affected and shaped by the tragedy.

A novelist, Helen finds herself in the enviable position of having her book turned into a television show. Grant is a screenwriter selected to be part of the team who works on the show’s development. When the two are reacquainted, there is the expected tension one would expect, based on their mutual past. Over the next few months Helen and Grant are able to work together and form a relationship despite everything that has happened, finding that they are good for one another in unexpected ways.

Each of the characters has their own struggles with mental health, confidence, and trust which wind up framing much of the story arc. I light their individual and mutual growth, while also at times, getting frustrated with some of the decisions each one made along the way. Though I did not always understand how the two characters could be together, the author does a solid job of creating chemistry between them. I listened to the book and appreciated that it was told from both of their perspectives, easily identifiable with two narrators. A strong debut novel that offers insight into screenwriting, acting, Chinese culture, grief, and ultimately, forgiveness.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and have written and objective review.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for a honest review.

this book was all. the. FEELS.

if you want something more than just romance with deeper feelings and meanings? OPEN THIS BOOK NOW.

this was amazing for a debut novel.

Yulin Kuang's How to End a Love Story is a heart-wrenching exploration of love, loss, and the lingering power of memories. Kuang's writing is both lyrical and evocative, drawing readers into the heart of the story.

The novel follows Mei, a woman haunted by the ghost of her first love. As she tries to move on, she's forced to confront the past and all the baggage that comes with it. Kuang skillfully delves into the depths of Mei's emotions, offering a raw and honest portrayal of the human experience.

I truly enjoyed the behind the scenes peek at adapting a book for TV. I also liked the parent/adult child relationship. And while I liked the main characters their "conflict" was way too contrived for me. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy

Grant and Helen, former high school students, meet again 13 years later in Hollywood, where he is helping to co-write a script to bring Helen's book to the screen. The problem is that Grant was involved, though accidentally and innocently, in the untimely death in high school of Helen's younger sister, Michelle, and Helen is not about to forget that in her dealings with Grant.

This is a slow-burn, enemies to friends to lovers romance, that is open door in its sex scenes. How and if they both overcome the past and the memory of Michelle's death is the crux of the romance plot. I enjoyed most of the book, speed read through parts, and felt the ending was rewarding.

This was a read-in-one-sitting for me. I feel like there were several tropes within this story of death/grief. There are so many things I want to say, but can't.

This is a must-read for anyone.

The name says it all. The ending of this book is, indeed, how to end a love story. It was sweet, it was tangled, and in the end you were so happy they were together. There are some trigger warnings that are important, death of family members, drinking and driving, and anxiety/depression.

I have been waiting for this one for awhile, and it did not disappoint. But honestly I didn't know how our characters were going to get together and I felt so sad for them the entire time! I am so happy they worked it out and I had a happily ever after!

3 out of 5 stars

"How to End a Love Story" by Yulin Kuang is a romantic drama set against the backdrop of a TV show production. I particularly enjoyed the insider glimpse into the television industry, which provided a unique setting for the story. The chemistry between the main characters was good; and the “will they, won’t they” trope is in full effect here.

However, the backstory between the characters (which I won’t spoil) and their reunion as adults felt a bit too contrived for my taste. The narrative seemed to rely heavily on past misunderstandings, which sometimes stretched believability. While I appreciate a second-chance romance, the execution here could have been more natural and nuanced. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read but it falls short of fully delivering on its potential.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Helen is a best-selling author who tragically lost her sister Michelle to suicide in high school. When her best-selling book series is to be turned into a television show, it turns out that one of the writers in the room, Grant, is a former high school classmate who is connected to her sister's death. Despite their complicated history and personal journeys to recover from the trauma of Michelle's death, Helen and Grant develop a friendship that turns into something more. But can they come to terms with their pasts in order to form a serious relationship?

I had read some reviews of this title and put off reading it because I wasn't sure it was going to live up to the hype. However, I ended up being engrossed with the story from almost page one. I love a story where the characters have to deal with personal traumas in order to form a healthy relationship and this one delivered. Helen was a character I could really relate to with her insecurities and imposter syndrome. I did feel like Grant's background could have been more fully developed and I thought the pacing of the ending could be better (it was drawn out until it wasn't and then the book ended very quickly). But overall, this was a very compelling story that I couldn't put down.

Overall: 4.25/5
Spice: 2/3

Thank you so much for this ARC! I loved the third person POV. It was a unqiue book that I think a ton of people are going to enjoy :)

This was absolutely incredible. The book girlies are gonna love this one. It was emotional, funny, and steamy! The book has an Emily Henry vibe and I was here for it.

I received an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I was initially interested in this book because the author has written screenplays to adapt some of Emily Henry's work. I can see why the two work well together - Kuang has some wit to her while also diving into deep emotional territory. And there was some spice as well!

I don't think this was a perfect novel - I have seen some criticisms of the dark stuff (which did not bother me) and the "twist" was perhaps too on the nose. I really enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters and I thought the premise of adapting the main character's novel into a TV show was really interesting to follow along with.

Definitely recommend for all my Emily Henry/Abby Jimenez fans!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced reader copy. This review contains some spoilers.

As an Asian-American woman, there was a lot to resonate with and it made the book difficult to read in a really good way. Helen’s relationship with her parents and the generational trauma that comes from cultural expectations was spot on. I empathized with her line of thinking and cringed at the chaotic choices that also felt relatable to me.

However, there was a lot left to be desired about the plot itself. Helen and Grant are both defined by their trauma but nothing else. Their relationship at times felt more about the forbidden fruit and trauma bonding more than genuine connection over shared interest and journey through that trauma. It almost felt like character development stopped after just realizing and naming the baggage rather than working through it.

I was rooting for them both because they both needed a win while simultaneously thinking they were both exactly what the other person did not need. It felt whiplash to end the book with a wedding. I understand it is unreasonable to expect that Helen’s family would ever really come around to Grant but the way that it went from hiding the relationship to marriage felt absurd. I think seeing more of the individual growth and the authentic ways they helped each other would have gone a long way.

A captivating and emotional story that explores the complexities of love, loss, and second chances. The characters are well developed with tension and chemistry in the air. Beautifully written.
Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh wow, I loved this even more than I thought I would. The things Helen says about her sister just shattered me. The romance was spicy and despite it’s somewhat problematic origins I loved how they helped each other heal from their traumas.

HOW TO END A LOVE STORY broke the spell of my string of not-so-great romance novels, restoring my faith in the genre. (I tend to roll my eyes at Asian girls and white men as the love interest, but I think I can give Grant a pass this time, lol.)

The book follows Helen Zhang and Grant Shepard, who experienced a tragic accident (in different ways) that has altered their lives. We meet them 13 years later since the accident, with Helen now a bestselling author and Grant one of the screenwriters adapting Helen’s book into a TV series.

This story goes beyond your normal romance novel. It’s explores familial love (whatever that looks like) and self love. The way we fear love, and fear to love. The complexities of grief and guilt, showing how these emotions shaped Helen and Grant.

Initially, Helen’s character didn’t resonate with me. Her insecurities, especially regarding her looks, writing skills, and career, as well as her sometimes immature behavior, particularly in her relationships with her parents, were off-putting. However, as her story unfolded, I began to empathize with her struggles, realizing she was broken by grief, guilt, and pressure she placed on herself. As her story unfolded, I felt a wave of complex emotions and found myself deeply moved, especially as I thought of my close relationship with my sister.

The chemistry between Helen and Grant was one of the highlights for me. Their banter, the sexual tension (some scenes are steamy 🥵), and their journey to heal from their troubled pasts, together, were beautifully portrayed.

However, I did find the pacing uneven, particularly towards the end where it felt rushed. Additionally, I wished for more depth in Helen’s relationship with her parents, especially regarding the unresolved issue of Grant, which felt somewhat glossed over.

Overall, HOW TO END A LOVE STORY is an emotional and intricate story of two broken individuals shaped by grief and guilt, finding solace and healing together.

The foundation of this “love” story — which, not a spoiler since it is included in the blurb after all — is that the MC’s sister took her own life in high school by jumping in front of the future love interest’s car.

Now, would this understandably be a difficult loss to reconcile? Yes. Would it be hard to look at the driver the same way, even though they’re just as damaged by the death? Of course.

But would you outwardly show resentment, anger, and disgust towards this person whom your sibling non consensually involved in their suicide? I would hope not, I would hope that you would instead be upset that your sibling chose to unwillingly involve them and cause them trauma for the remainder of their life.

Yet, the MC and her family treat this man as though he deliberately killed the sister. They, frankly, are downright cruel to him; and when the MC meets him again some years later, she STILL treats him as though he murdered her sister and asks the man to QUIT HIS JOB simply because he should, out of decency and all, since she doesn’t want to be around him.

With that said and to prevent this from becoming a complete rant, these two characters should have never gotten together in any capacity, the MC is the real villain in this story, and the LI deserves so much better.

Loved the dialogue, smart writing, and peek into film- and television-writing. Really struggled with the basic premise of the love story, though; the plot point that makes the two MCs is truly traumatic, for both of them, and felt hard to believe as a stable foundation for an eventual emotionally healthy love story.