Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper voyager and to the author for the Arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’d rate this book a solid 4 / 5 ⭐️

This is an emotional romance, that involves trauma and forgiveness. I honestly liked it more than I expected too and I can’t wait to see what other books this author releases 🤍

Helen Zhang’s sister committed suicide by jumping in front of Grant Shepard’s vehicle. Now as an adult, 13 years in the future Helen is a young adult author to a book getting adapted into a film and one of the screen writers just happens to be Grant Shepard….


Tropes:

Forbidden romance
Enemies to lovers
Screenwriter x author
He falls first

I definitely recommend the read, Helen was easy to relate with and I loved Grants Character. 🤍

Wow! This was a great book! This wasn’t something I felt I could rush through—definitely not a quick read for me. I had to savor this story word by word, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

I loved Helen and Grant, both together and separately. I loved the glimpse into screenwriting and the writers room, and how that all turns into the production of the show. I loved the tortured backstory, and how both Grant and Helen were able to heal and grow.

There were many parts of this book that made me cry, but many more that made me smile and laugh. That ending, with Shelley, had all those feelings beating me at once. This was a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to see what else this author does.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“How to End a Love Story” is a steamy, enemies to lovers contemporary romance novel. It is the story of Helen and Grant who went to the same high school, share a tragic past, and reconnect across the country as adults in LA where Grant is on the team as a screenwriter for Helen’s YA novel being turned into a show.

I loved learning about how novels turn into screen adaptations and how each unique team member had a hand in the final script. This romance was a bit too slow, it took until about 40% in to pick up, but then it became super steamy!

Overall I did not really connect with Helen’s character and I was annoyed with her parents. A solid three star read for me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own

The premise of this book was really difficult for me to look past. The story starts with a funeral for Helen’s sister and then fasts forward 13 years. Helen is a successful author whose book series is being turned into a tv show. Because of this Helen is moving from NYC to LA where she doesn’t know a soul. Well, except when she finds out Grant is in the writers room for the show. The same Grant who was driving the car when it hit her sister, to no fault of his own. This was such a huge premise for me to overcome in this story because it just didn’t seem believable that these two people could be in a romantic relationship. Beyond this, the story was enjoyable and the characters were well written in a way that made you connect with them. The relationship between Helen and Grant took a while to thaw and eventually became a very sweet bond. He is very patient with her and her trauma while she is also considerate of his perspective (eventually). Definitely worth the read and very easy to breeze through this story. Thank you Avon for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I went into reading this book not realizing how attached I’d get to Helen and Grant. Their love story is so different from the many books I’ve read before. Grant accidentally ran over Helen’s younger sister Michelle in high school when she darted out into the road to end her life. Obviously, Helen was not fond of Grant after that.

Years later, Helen has written a successful YA series that is being adapted into a television show and she gets a position in the writers room. Guess who else is there? Why yes, it’s Grant.

The angst was so real. Reading as they fall for each other while knowing it’s doomed was so good. Grant was very swoon-worthy in his love for Helen. And you couldn’t help but feel for Helen as she waged between her love for Grant and how her parents would react to their relationship.

A fun bit at the end was realizing that the author is directing one of Emily Henry’s book adaptations as well as writing the screenplay for another! Can’t wait for those to be released.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! The writing was really crisp and I can tell the author is going to do great things for the romance genre.

3.5 stars. Take a tragic, impossible situation and make it a romance. That's what Kuang has done. This story is so sad on many levels but it also gives you hope. Helen and Grant are well matched--their temperaments and careers really compliment each other. The spice is very hot! I didn't love all the work talk though--it was redundant and boring. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

As I was reading HTEALS, I already started thinking about how this will be a book I reread. Many parts spoke personally to me, including Helen's perspective on being the oldest daughter in an immigrant family, dating someone your family does not approve of, and love languages in an Asian family. Kuang's writing is really beautiful and while I read the book very quickly, I also wanted to pause and savor her words (and thus the reread).

4 🌟

This book was more than just a love story.

I felt like the premise for this book was so good but there were a few things that fell short for me. The romance was not fully believable and partly because when they were together, all they did was have sex. I did enjoy that this book dealt with some tougher topics (make sure to read trigger warnings) and wasn't just a light romcom. And I loved the semi found family via the writers room.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I wish I had DNF'd this much earlier. I made it over 80% but just couldn't take it anymore. I absolutely hated Helen. I have no idea what Grant (or really, any other character) saw in her. She was so mean to him and such a tease. The story is told in dual third person POV which I did not enjoy; it felt like reading.a screenplay with stage directions. Considering that's the author's background, no surprise there, but that's not what I'm looking for in a novel. Definitely in the minority here. Read at your own risk.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the e-galley.

Helen Zhang and Grant f-ing Shepard. I can’t get over these two. Theirs is such a broken, messy, and complex relationship but they’re also broken in their own ways that it really did feel impossible for these two to end up together. But Kuang pulls it off. She weaves together so many emotional threads—grief, longing, mourning, love, healing, forgiveness—that was raw and painful at times but so so tender. This book gave me such a heart-wrenching book hangover that I read it again immediately.

CW: grief, suicide loss, death of a sibling, panic attacks

This is incredibly random but you know the line in Captain America : Civil War where Wanda exclaims to Clint, “Oh my god, what are you doing here?” and he says “Disappointing my kids“? Well. This is me disappointing my kids (friends).

Sadly, I knew by about 15% into this that I was not going to be rating this five stars. The only question would be how far would this fall along the way to the end. And knowing me, it could’ve been worse. But I just didn’t love this, I never even felt a glimmer of love for this, and there’s a very specific reason why. Or three.

Often times, as readers, even though we know the people we’re reading about are characters, they nonetheless feel like people. People we love or hate, whatever the case might be, but they feel like a someone. Unfortunately, the two leads in HOW TO END A LOVE STORY did not have this. They very much felt like characters, caricatures even, because they honestly felt barely developed. Helen maybe had a little more going on than Grant — who felt like Male Love Interest #72847852 — but even she just felt mostly.. remote. Angry and uncomfortable. And yes, there are reasons, but in that case give me depth and resonance to feel the emotion fuelling those reasons. But I didn’t. Overall, everyone was made up of one or two attributes that we see played out to death (sorry).

And then there was the romance (and how we skipped sO mAnY steps into getting to a place where this should’ve been something they considered; like, this needed a much slower burn) (and also with the game thing I never understood and just felt contrived). And the sex scenes. It wasn’t it for me. Either one. But especially not the latter. I have absolutely come to hate (previously, this was just an eyeroll cringe combo that lead me to skimming but we’ve graduated now) the pivot characters in romances make when they are feeling zesty and suddenly transform into sex workers on a porno set. I think there was maybe one, of the many, of these intimate scenes that did feel true to the characters, such as they were, and I would’ve much rather had just the one moment than all the others because at least it was close to feeling honest.

Back to emotions, though, I fully expected this book to wreck me based on some of the subject matter and events that play out but I, a self-professed marshmallow, felt.. nothing. Not until a certain letter was written; which didn’t make me emotional but I can acknowledge was really beautiful, really something — the first bit of something from the entire book. And it was at, like, 96% or something. Rough.

I just don’t think the narrative meshed with the motions the author put her characters through because instead it feels like she’s trying to follow expected patterns that don’t quite line up with the shape of her story. Or, more fitting maybe, it’s like the characters are following a different and less interesting script and it just doesn’t work (for me).

Maybe this would make a good movie or limited series run, maybe it’s better as a screenplay (where the author’s experience lies), but as a book, no matter who’s head I was in, whether it was dealing with complex familial dynamics, panic attacks, grief and rage and bitterness from loss with no closure, I just felt.. nothing.

But I’m definitely in the smallest of minorities about this so, hey, don’t even listen to me. What do I know.

I loved this and I can’t wait for others to get the opportunity to read it. I first had interest in this book when I heard Yulin Kuang was adapting Beach Read and The People We Meet on Vacation. This gave me complete faith in her ability to adapt Emily Henry’s books. This had a lot of the same elements that make me love Emily Henry as a writer.

I enjoyed this from the first page. Yulin set up a really difficult task for herself with such a heartbreaking start to Helen and Grant’s story. They’re connected in a way that’s absolutely unimaginable. But in the end it’s perfect and their relationship makes sense. Of course Helen and Grant would fall in love for the same reasons that once kept them apart. I also really loved the writer’s room setup too. It was fun seeing how a show is created and written.

The depictions of grief and guilt are done so beautifully too. It feels like a really honest portrayal of the grief you feel when you lose someone unexpectedly and the guilt you may feel that you couldn’t help them more.

It’s not often that I know a book is going to be a five star from the jump. I really hope that Yulin writes more books (after she directs Beach Read!). She has an easy space in my rotation of favorite romance writers.

WOW! After the literal beginning of the story, I had absolutely no idea where this story could go and how it could possibly be romantic. But I realized that must be the magic of Yulin. It also makes sense to me that she is adapting Emily Henry's books for the screen, as she also has a lot of emotional layering in her stories. I think that grief and suicide are obviously extremely heavy topics, and Yulin handled them with care and a sort of lightness that honored the difficulty of emotions surrounding the topics. Along with how beautiful the story is, this is beautifully written. I'm now a huge Yulin Kuang fan!

If this book were a song: 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁; 𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴

When they were seniors in high school, Helen and Grant had their lives forever entwined following a terrible accident. Not friends before and certainly not friends after, 13 years later, they find themselves thrown together in the workplace.

Helen is a best selling author of a YA series being turned into a TV series; Grant, a screenwriter hired to lead with the adaptation.

When Helen arrives in Hollywood, imposter syndrome hits hard. An awkward loner, Helen is unprepared for the boisterous, bonding experience of the writer’s room, and comes off the prude, standoffish, cold. Secretly, though, she wants to break free from her stifling Chinese immigrant parents and memories of her sister.

Grant, on the other hand, is made for the writer’s room. Gregarious and charming with a winning smile, he has the ability to get anyone talking. Secretly, though, he suffers from panic attacks and the belief that he’s too hard to love.

Working together is difficult initially, but then there’s a spark, a moment where they become human to one another, but at what cost? Helen’s parents have never forgiven Grant and have no idea Helen is working with him.

The result is the heartbreaking slow dance of two broken people trying to forgive themselves, let go of the past, and allow themselves happiness.

There is certainly spice to this novel - tender and lovely - and feels organic. But it’s so much more. Helen and Grant are so delicately drawn that I promise you will cry and laugh, hope and cringe throughout the book, and then be inconsolable during the last 40 pages.

I urge everyone to put this book on hold at your library, preorder from your favorite bookseller, or show up on April 9 to get your own copy.

I may never recover from this one and I will be rereading my physical copy this summer and every summer after.

Thanks to @netgalley and @avonbooks for the ARC to review. Available April 9, 2024.

these people would be absolutely infuriating to work with, but to read about, they are pretty damn entertaining. there's a really well executed balance of grief, grace, and smut (and it is smut) here that is quite satisfying. but seriously, a companion novel from the perspective of the others in the writers room would be hilarious.

How to End a Love Story is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the intricate threads that bind two souls together. Helen Zhang and Grant Shepard, once connected by a tragic accident, are reunited in the bustling world of LA, where their past is a specter haunting the fringes of their lives
The characters are brilliantly crafted, each layer peeling back to reveal the raw, authentic emotions beneath. The author conveyed the essence of Helen and Grant's dynamic so well, portraying them as multidimensional individuals with flaws, vulnerabilities, and undeniable chemistry. As secrets unravel, the story delves into forgiveness, self-discovery, and the powerful impact of shared history.
The narrative unfolds with grace and nuance, exploring the complexities of love and the art of letting go. Kuang's writing is emotive, with prose that resonates deeply, making the reader feel every beat of Helen and Grant's hearts. The portrayal of their journey is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming, striking a perfect balance between nostalgia and the inevitability of change.
I really loved this debut novel.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was looking forward to this so much (one reason being that Kuang is going to be the one behind Beach Read adaptation) but this just didn't work for me.

I didn't like any of the main characters and found them rather dull. I also didn't like the progression of the story nor the way the characters went about it even though the setup for their dynamic was rather intriguing and interesting, the execution of it just wasn't the case. I also didn't buy the romance between the main characters much which was a shame but I think that was also because I didn't buy them as individual people to begin with.

I did enjoyed the way suicide was a topic of discussion and the way grief was explored but other than that I didn't find myself invested in anything.

I enjoyed the first half way too much. The build-up was amazing, and the author painted a picture with each scene (being a screenwriter herself. Also, she’s adapting People We Meet On Vacation!).
The second half ran a little long for me, but this is an uncorrected proof and they must still be editing stuff right now.
I loved the writer’s room bits, and all the characters were interesting. That’s one problem I usually have with romcoms- often the side characters (and sometimes the leads themselves) either have zero personalities or end up with stereotypical storylines that don’t belong in the main setting. But here, every character belongs. They have their own place in the story, and having them around is so much fun.

I found the perfect summer romance for you all!
Fun characters ✔️
Hot leads ✔️
Witty banter/ flirting ✔️
Funny, cute scenes that have you melting ✔️
Situationship ✔️
Jaw-dropping smut ✔️

This is not just a fluffy romance novel, it is a story of tragedy, grief, and heartbreak. How to End a Love Story follows Helen, the firstborn daughter of immigrant parents and now a best-selling author, and Grant a screenwriter. Their lives cross paths when Helen's YA novel is picked up for a TV series and Grant is in the writing room. Little does everyone else on the staff know that Grand and Helen went to High School together and have a tragic secret they are trying to hide. Helen is cold to Grant and everyone can see it. Will Helen be able to work with Grant after everything they have been through together or will it bring them closer than ever?

I enjoyed this book from the start! I loved the representation of anxiety and grief. I liked being able to see into Grant and Helen's heads throughout the book. Helen could be extremely frustrating at times, but it was nice to see the reasoning behind her actions. I love grumpy/sunshine and the tension between Henen and Grant was great.

I was SO excited to see I had been approved for the ARC of Yulin Kuang's debut novel, How to End a Love Story! I had a strong feeling I would love a book from the writer adapting Emily Henry's books. I finished this book in less than 24 hours. Easy 5/5 stars for me. Thank you to Netgalley for sending this ARC.