from the bottom of my heart, all i want to do right now is to drop to my knees and present some flowers to yulin kuang.

in reality, i lack the appropriate words to describe what this book has done to me. i have never identified myself as a romance lover because i have a hard time identifying my vision of love in popular romances. one exception to that is emily henry, which many assimilate to "chick-lit". maybe that's my genre of love stories after all, because at the end of the day, i find this genre of romances to be more emotionally sensible and humane and i think what we have here is a new reference title of the genre, and personally one of my new favorite books of all time.

"how to end a love story" follows helen zhang, a successful writer of a YA series and its TV adaptation, and grant shepard, a successful screenwriter of the project. the novel opened with the death of helen's sister, michelle, and how grant is involved in the tragedy. the main story started a decade later, where our two protagonists meet again in the writers' room.

this book has the wittiness of an emily henry novel, the emotional tenderness of olivie blake, and the delicious angst of a 100k-work-slowburn-hurt and comfort fanfic on ao3. somehow in barely 300 pages, yulin kuang's writing pushed me down a roller coaster of emotions, between the romantic part and the family issues part (get a girl that can do both!) i felt deeply seen in the helen's and grant's love through vulnerability and acceptance, but also helen's relation to her mother. of course, we have seen many representations of immigrant mother-daughter relationship, but i really like the direction of the book took in exploring helen's dilemma between honoring michelle's memories and living her life free of expectations.

this book is a tenderly vulnerable portrayal of love in many of its form. i think that yulin kuang writes with a lot of emotional intelligence: there is something very shocking about the beginning that i almost didn't continue. the situation makes me uncomfortable, because i feel (and identify) with the deep pain the characters went through. yulin, the screenwriter she is, makes readers feel emotion by mastering the "show not tell" through the whole novel: for example, i find myself screaming crying throwing up at the couch scene (iykyk) because it was so sexy but still very intimate. that scene reminds me a lot of the church scene in alone with you in the ether and the cathedral scuplture of rodin. there is always so much tenderness, intimacy, and respect in the love that exists. at many points, i find myself in awe with the way yulin kuang just seems to see straight into my heart because with the relationship of grant and helen it just feels right, it makes sense that they are together and it makes sense that they feel a profound love for each other, and for this i salute yulin kuang. fews have done this as well as she has.

overall, "how to end a love story" firmly establishes itself as one of my favorite romances of all time, maybe even of all time i sit on it long enough. reading this i am not surprised that yulin kuang got a seven-figure deal in a six-bidder auction for her first three books because in my opinion she will become a new figure of the romance community. i am excited to see what she has to offer next and will be waiting the next book with utmost impatience (avon, if you heard me and want to send me an ARC 👀)

oh yulin, please save me yulin 😩😩😩

visit me on instagram @shardsofdeadlove

thank you avon | harper voyager and netgalley for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review. i will potentially add quotes to this review upon release.

As soon as the book starts, you wonder how this could EVER work out! It was angsty and painful at times, both so broken apart and yet they still end up together with this dark sadness looming over them. I LOVED reading the book, I had a hard time putting it down and functioning in the real world. Thankful to Yulin Kuang for the ending so I can sleep tonight.
The things that I didn't need are the extra spicy love scenes, I don't think it fit with the tone and background of the book, and the extra use of the f-word...really no other swearing but probably 100s of f-bombs. Just not necessary in this love story. Without this, it would be a 5 for me, but I did skip a few pages .
Thank you for the advanced copy!

thank you to netgalley and harper collins for sending me the electronic and physical arc!

i was so so excited to read this because as a chinese american, eldest daughter of immigrants parents, i knew i would feel represented in this story. overall, 4/5!

the first half of this was rather slow-burn, which i really enjoyed. i liked seeing the tension and the tortured backstories of helen and grant. typically with contemporary romance novels that are dual-pov, the male pov is always really cringe to me, but yulin's writing very rarely made me cringe, so i'll take that as a win! initially, helen and grant's interactions made me sad, because they were so mean to each other, but i think that's what makes for a good rivals (?) to lovers setup. i say rivals (?) because i don't know how to classify their relationship, since grant didn't truly hate helen, but helen did. i did like grant quite a bit, but i was joking to that my friends that even in book universes, we can't escape white man x asian woman.

there were quite the number of spicy scenes (my favorite was the textbook scene ifykyk), although they sandwiched in quite nicely with the angst scenes and screenwriting scenes. speaking of, i thought it was really cool to see a little bit into how tv shows are written/produced!

helen's parents reminded me exactly of how mine are: very closed off emotionally, apologizing through food, and the result of generational trauma. i was expecting there to be some big scene for closure between helen and her mom, but there wasn't, which is as realistic as it gets. i really appreciate that mental health issues and going to therapy was so prevalent throughout this book. i felt so so seen when helen said that her relationship with her parents consists of a complicated love.

my only issue with this book is pacing - the first half was slow burn, then we have developing romance tucked into the development of her work life, climax hits, and then the resolution seemed rush. we barely got to see detailed scenes of helen and grant towards the end, as it seemed to be blips of their interactions throughout different timepoints. i also had wished there was going to be book name drop somewhere, but alas.

if you're a fan of emily henry, carley fortune, or christina lauren, i would highly recommend hteals!

This book was a breath of fresh air. How to End a Love Story, contrary to the title feels exactly like falling in love. The joy, giddiness, and heartbreak I felt while reading this compares to no other. I fell so hard for these characters, almost as hard as they fell for each other. Through her storytelling Yulin gave us a beautiful message, you don’t need to be completely healed to be loved. How to End a Love Story is so much more than a romance, it’s deep and real and it’s alive. I was so attached to the characters and truly cared for their healing hearts. If you’re someone who has to remind themselves “healing isn’t linear” please read this.

. I think that I'm simply not the reader for this book due to the sensitive subject matter! Wishing this book all the best and hope it finds the readers that are right for it.

Helen Zhang hasn't seen Grant Shepard in thirteen years since her little sister - Michelle's funeral. The tragedy and circumstances regarding Michelle's death is what has bound Helen and Grant together forever. However, fast forward to now and Helen is a popular YA author whose series is being adapted into a TV show and she's managed to get herself a spot in the writer's room for the first time ever. After her years in New York and her sister's death being in the back of her mind, she needs a fresh start in LA.

Unfortunately, that's not what Helen gets - in the thirteen years since High School, Grant has become a successful TV screenwriter in Hollywood and the number two billed writer on Helen's book adaptation. The last thing Helen wants is to be surrounded by more memories of her sister's death, but somehow Grant and Helen are going to have to face each other and come to an understanding to get this show written. In working together, the one thing Helen never thought would happen occurs and the two of them grow closer together as there's chemistry and tension they can't deny. Despite what she feels or what happens with Grant, Helen knows it can never last and theirs can never be any kind of real love story with Grant's connection to her sister's death.

I was very much anticipating this book because of the attention around Kuang's three book deal as well her being tied to two of Emily Henry's adaptations of her books as screenwriter and director. I thought this was a very interesting premise that made the story and the chemistry between the two characters very complex. However, for some reason I thought this book was going to err on the side of being literary fiction more than romance due to that premise. I thought the character of Helen was a little one dimensional at times and wasn't fully developed except for the tragedy of her sister's death being the only real personality trait she had. All in all though I thought it was an enjoyable read and the sexual chemistry and tension between Grant and Helen being very well done. There was a good portion of their "sexual" encounters that were not sexual at all in nature, but felt like they were and that I believe is a talent of an extremely good author.

A damn good read. Exceeded my high expectations! Snappy and heartfelt writing with captivating characters. So many feels!

this is a heavier story and it’s not for everyone but I can’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy it. I will say the romance wasn’t the best part about this book for me. A lot of it felt stilted and empty. I felt like the pacing and the sexual tension ruined the emotional notes but the back half of this book really got to me. I saw a lot of myself in Helen and I adored Grant. it’s hard to pull off a concept like this and although I found it did have its flaws, I’m looking forward to what Yulin puts out next because it’s clear she has so much talent.

Thank you to netgalley and Avon for the eArc in exchange for an honest review

this is a heavier story and it’s not for everyone but I can’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy it. I will say the romance wasn’t the best part about this book for me. A lot of it felt stilted and empty. I felt like the pacing and the sexual tension ruined the emotional notes but the back half of this book really got to me. I saw a lot of myself in Helen and I adored Grant. it’s hard to pull off a concept like this and although I found it did have its flaws, I’m looking forward to what Yulin puts out next because it’s clear she has so much talent.

Thank you to netgalley and Avon for the eArc in exchange for an honest review..

Beautiful, heartbreaking, angsty, hilarious, steamy, phenomenal, etc. etc. etc.

I might write a more coherent review someday but probably not. Fans of Emily Henry, Elissa Sussman, Tia Williams, and Ashley Poston (so, me) will INHAIL this book!

Cw: suicide, mental illness/panic attacks, grief, death of a sibling, car accident.

i was pleasantly surprised by this beautiful story! tugs at the heartstrings one minute and has me giggling/blushing the next. this really spoke to me as the eldest daughter in my family, an aspiring screenwriter, and the hopeless romantic. feels like a must-read for any and all fans of the contemporary romance genre.

I really enjoyed this story - how Helen and Grant, once both victims in high school from a tragedy, somehow find themselves working together on a TV adaptation for Helen's book. Each has their baggage, and Helen is just trying to get through the short time they have together. Day by day, will they learn more about each other? I liked the dual perspectives and how Yulin Kuang brought their story to life. I had a hard time putting it down!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and to Netgalley, for the ARC.

I've been a Yulin Kuang fangirl since the aughts and have been so delighted by her career trajectory. Her knowledge of the New York to Hollywood trajectory, of publishing and creating, has added a richness to the novel that I hope people unfamiliar with her work pick up on. For those of you in the know, this book has just as much pining as Kissing in the Rain, sly references to fandom and fanfic, and feels deeply authentic. The story is complex and heartbreaking, but is indeed a love story. Yulin knows how to end a love story & I can't recommend taking a chance on this debut novel more.

Fans of Emily Henry's catalog and Curtis Sittenfeld's "Romantic Comedy" will *adore* Kuang's debut romance novel! I had high hopes for this one and it exceeded my expectations. One of my favorite new releases of the year thus far!

Grief creates holes. You believe being a good person can fill it, regrets can erase them, and trauma-bonding can ease it.
I liked how our main character wasn't trying to fill her sister's absence. She did her own thing while grappling with her parent's vice-grip hovering. Our male main character fell head first. I love when the man falls first. I just wish she had more faith in herself.
Filled with grief, longing, healing and letting go, this gripped me from beginning to end.

4.5 rounded up! out 09 April!!

Kuang really hit the ground running with this incredible story. Her writing pulls you in quick and keeps you invested and eager to follow the story of Helen & Grant. Helen and Grant are connected by a tragedy that happened in high school, and who are now having to work closely in the writing room of Helen's book series turned TV series. Helen and Grant, based off of their pasts, and even based on what kind of crowds they ran with in high school, really should not be together. And yet they are pulled towards one another, discovering something truly tender and once-in-a-lifetime between them.

If I were going to convince you to read this, my main selling point would be the BANTER! the conversations between them!! These characters are funny, witty and REAL. I will read anything that Kuang writes just based off of this novel and the dialogue between these two characters.

Thank you so much to netgalley and Avon for an eARC of this book.

This book was hotly anticipated as Kuang is also the screenwriter and director for two of Emily Henry’s forthcoming movie adaptations! It centers on two screenwriters in LA who have an event in their past that connects them. This book is for all the romance girlies who love the angst with a healthy dash of steam. The writing was really excellent and it went much deeper in emotion and character than your average romance novel. I think this one is going to be very big and we’re lucky to have such a sure hand so involved in the romance genre in both book and screen. Out 4/9! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for sending me an early copy to review!

😍😍😍😭😭😭

I cried at a low-key confession of love, and I am still weeping inside. Also, I loved seeing a line about kissing in the rain, since that webseries introduced me to Kuang.

I have been excited for this book for months because I adored Yulin Kuang's webseries and short films work. Her debut novel is heartwrenching and joyful and sexy and lovely. I love her writing, and I should not be surprised at any of this!

The book opens with teenage Helen's little sister Michelle's funeral. Michelle committed suicide by running into traffic, and their classmate Grant was driving the car that hit her. Helen and her parents hate Grant for it. Then years later, Helen is a bestselling author of a book series that I imagine to be kind of like Pretty Little Liars, and the series is going to be adapted into a prestige tv show. And surprise surprise, Grant is hired as one of the writers. Helen and Grant are both still dealing with VERY unresolved grief and trauma from Michelle's death, and things get complicated as they start to realize their attraction to each other.

I loved watching these deeply flawed, deeply hurting characters learn to trust and learn to love. I loved getting some of my favorite tropes (you can tell Kuang is from the fanfic world because she writes YEARNING and GLANCES so well, she has such great emotional buildup). Some really wonderful steamy scenes. And I laughed so much in the light moments of the last chapter. I absolutely will be buying a copy of this book.

CW for this book, as mentioned in an Author's Note that I appreciated seeing, are discussions of a character's suicide, death of a sibling, drug use, panic attacks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this ARC.

3.5⭐️ 2🌶️

Many mixed feelings on this book.

On the one hand, things I liked:
- I loved seeing and supporting a Chinese-American author. It was actually so lovely to see myself on the page. I think she was really able to capture the nuances of our culture (i.e. relationship with her parents, the experience of not knowing the language, expression of love, etc) however some of the elements with the representation felt slightly stereotyped to me. In any case, it was really cool to have a female protagonist "look" like me.
- I really liked the complex relationship that Helen had with her feelings about her sister and her grief with her sister. You could tell that she was really just so young when her sister died and it was cool to see how those feelings translated to adult life.
- Spice!! The scenes were well written and didn't feel forced or excessive.

On the other, things I didn't like:
- The writing. It was written poorly, per se. I just think a lot of the writing felt more like a screenplay than a book. It was written in dual-POV 3rd person, which is fine.... but it was weird to have the book "tell" me how the character is feeling (i.e. "she felt like..." "she was thinking..."). I really didn't like this aspect and I feel like it took me out of the story a little bit. The POV also shifted often and the way it was written made it difficult to tell whose POV we were in.
- Helen and Grant's early relationship. I think there was just a lack of tension here. It felt kind of like an instant love sort of deal, and I feel like we completely washed over the fact that he "killed" her sister. It just seemed weird to me that there wasn't really any hesitation in attraction from Helen's end on being with Grant. It also seemed like Grant was just instantly enamored with Helen when they really had nothing in common at all despite their past. Grant was not interested in being on the show at all in the beginning and it felt like all of sudden he was super dedicated to the story, and this aspect just didn't seem believable.
- Her relationship with her parents. I think honestly this was just the most lacking aspect of the story. Clearly Helen wants her parents approval. She feels pressure to be a "good daughter" which is on par for the Chinese-American experience. But I really didn't like that this is what ultimately caused the 3rd act breakup. I also just hated that we didn't really get any resolution here. Her parents found out and they broke up and then she was mad at her parents, they got back together, and then all of a sudden her parents were at the wedding and it was fine. We didn't get any resolution for the family on Michelle's death. We didn't get a follow through here and I just felt like the story needed it.
- Helen being an author turned screenwriter. To be honest I'm still confused on what her book is about. Also did she end up writing an episode for the show? This was truly just kind of unclear.

Overall, I thought this was a cute book. It felt like a slow start but once I got reading I was able to tear through it pretty quickly. I loved the representation and I think there was a lot of potential for the storyline, but overall it fell a bit flat for me and left me wanting more. Bonus points because of the representation and also knowing this was a debut. Would likely buy a physical copy for the shelf and would definitely want to read the next book Yulin writes!

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this!

Sexy, smart, and now one of my favorite Romances of the year (and probably every other year too). This book will break you apart and put you back together again.

Helen and Grant are inextricably linked by a horrible tragedy from their senior year of high school. For the 13 years since, they haven’t spoken and have lived on opposite ends of the country. Now, Helen is a successful YA author whose books are being adapted into a tv show… and Grant just happens to be one of the show’s writers.

I’ve read some RomComs in the past where the reason the couple might not have their Happily Ever After feels contrived or even a little silly. Not so here. I absolutely had no idea how Grant and Helen were going to figure this out and I was completely invested from the first sentence to the last. Brilliant!

The romantic plotting in this is truly wondrous to behold. It’s not a slowburn in the sense that nothing is happening, but it’s a slowburn in the way that *every single thing* that’s happening feels earth-shatteringly sexy. What I’m saying is, this book is HOT. Scalding. Handle with care. And by that I of course mean: read it immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for my review!