this is a cute story with a unique plot! Emily and John have a wordle-cute, finding connection in the unique online crossword space. there were eccentric small town characters, a slow burn workplace romance, with a grumpy/sunshine sprinkled in. I wish the romance part was developed more, I loved the Emily & John moments I just wish they went a little deeper at times. I loved the characters and Emily’s desire for a big beautiful life, and I liked how this subplot rounds out in the ending.

overall, a cute unique story that I’d love to see more romance in. thank you for the arc :)

As a girl with her own super Wordle streak going I couldn't help but dive deep into this book and be intrigued with the plot line and premise. The small town romance of Emily and John is cute and while a bit typical of these types of books it is a quick and fun read for word lovers. Would definitely recommend for a cozy day in!

Overall this is more a story of self discovery, not romance.

On the self discovery side - I think there is a lot of merit to the story. In a time when people post the highlights of their life on social media, I find it easy to believe people are constantly chasing ‘happier’ and aren’t able to appreciate’ happy’. However, how it comes out on the book (to me) was Emily being immature, chasing a ‘dream’ that’s ill-defined, poorly informed, and for a lot of the book, without focus or effort to help bring the dream to life.

As the romance was a lesser focus of the book, it proceeds easily and drama free (with the exception of the third act breakup up which was both reasonable and predictable)

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy James, and Avon for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was all about Wordle when it got big, so I had to try out Amy James’s A Five-Letter Word for Love! Emily has big dreams, if only the could figure out what it is she wants to do—what she does know though is she wants to be a big city girl, not a small town car repair shop receptionist. But at least she’s got her Wordle streak, until she almost loses it, but with the help of cute mechanic John, she’s able to solve more than her daily Wordle. Okay, I forgot how old she was in this, I thought she was like 23, but the description says 27 and I’m shocked. This book is sweet and endearing but Emily is so naive and the writing is a kind of stream of consciousness from Emily that makes the story feel a little narrow and was just a lot more telling than showing. I did enjoy her journey to finding what she wants, she just feels so young! Her whole quest to find her dream job is super relatable and she’s just super quirky. I would’ve loved to have gotten to know John more. They were sweet together, but they lacked an initial chemistry. The incorporation of Wordle throughout Emily’s introspection was also really cute, it was a fun thing to weave through the story. It’s quirky, it’s different, it’s not my favorite but I enjoyed reading it.

This was an adorable book. I do think the decisions at the end all felt a bit rushed. Other than that, I thought the characters and the story were sweet and fun. I enjoyed this RomCom and will definitely look for other books by this author!

Fans of wordle and hopeless romantics, this one is a cutie! Emily has a legendary Wordle streak and is a big believer in signs and having a big, beautiful life. Shes currently working as a receptionist at an auto body shop, and ends up expanding her horizons volunteering at a local museum and doing part time companion care services for her neighbors.

Her adventures lead her to a new relationship with her grumpy mechanic coworker, John. Turns out he’s a Wordle fan as well, though not to Emily’s extent.

Now, for me personally, the Wordle bit got old fairly quickly. I understand it’s important to the story but it was kind of difficult to visualize and I almost would have preferred seeing the board displayed within the pages.

Emily as a FMC is a classic girl who doesn’t know what she wants and that’s okay! She was very real and human in that manner. John, however, felt very stoic and I wish I could’ve learned more about him. I would’ve loved some chapters from his POV.

Overall, it’s a very cute book and I think it’s a great debut for this author. I look forward to reading more of her stories in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Quick, easy, boring read. Not so much a romance as a journey of self-discovery for Emily, an elitist, selfish, immature FMC who basically thinks the MMC is stupid and settling for less than his potential. The MMC is John Smith. Really? Was that to show how plain and boring he is? The side characters had more depth. Loved the side characters!! Except Shelley, of course. Emily works as a receptionist at a car repair shop. John is one of two mechanics. She's worked there for a year, they've had almost no interactions, and one day she sees his abs on display and realizes, huh, he's kinda hot, and then falls for him. Because, oh yeah, he also plays Wordle. Uh, nope, not buying it. Why did John even like Emily? I initially would have DNF'd or given it 2 stars but I will say the book got much better in the second half, which brought it up to 3 stars. Also, you could remove the entire text thread between Emily and her college friends and not have missed anything. That kind of went nowhere. Much more depth to Emily and John and more of John's background and this would easily be 4 stars for me.

**pet peeve - for a book centered around Wordle, why oh why did she continue to guess words that didn't contain the letters she KNEW were going to be in the final word?!

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This was a cute story! I enjoyed Emily and John and their rapport. I really liked how the story went about as well as how Emily went about finding her place in life. I love how Emily tried and found something she was passionate about. Cute story and fun to read.

This small town romance is going to work well for the true Wordle devotees, but it may lack depth for those looking for more fully fleshed out characters. For me, the story fell flat within the setting of an auto mechanic shop, and I had a hard time wanting to return to the story, especially knowing the beauty and wonder of PEI wasn’t tapped into as much as I’d hoped. A perfect quick read for your favorite word nerd. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for my gifted ARC!

As a fellow Wordle enthusiast, I could not wait to read this book! What a fun, underlying concept for the FMC to obsess over. Unfortunately everything else about her personality really rubbed me the wrong way. She is at least very self-aware as she repeatedly breaks the fourth wall and admits, “okay, that was immature,” “okay, that was a bit rude.”

Thank goodness for sweet John sweeping in and calling her out on the rest of her judgmental, pretentious ways. Our MMC literally rescues her (and the book, in my opinion) from her self-destruction in the most kind, nontoxic way possible. Having just finished “Nobody Wants This” on Netflix, I can’t help but to compare John to Adam Brody’s character. He is reserved, steady, mature, and balances out the FMC in the best ways while still allowing her to have her big personality.

This match-up was the sweetest and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. 4 stars because Emily’s personality truly made me cringe several times, the Wordle puzzles had some discrepancies, and Emily’s college friends’ storyline felt unfinished.

I love Wordle. I am a Wordle girl. The NYT games page hates to see me coming. So when I saw that there was a book with a Wordle premise, I was so thrilled. But this book? What a let down. This book just wasn't it when it comes to a romance. I made it about 20% into this story and decided that I was no longer going to continue. The writing came across as very juvenile and I felt no connection to the FMC at all. It made it very hard to read. I learned my lesson to stick to the NYT games page and not attempt to read books based on them.

As an addicted Wordle player this was a hit for me. The plot was predictable, giving off Hallmark vibes, but this did not detract from its enjoyment. (I do like Hallmark movies.) I am tired of all the novels with graphic violence, sex, and foul language being written today and this was a welcome change. A nice clean romance with only an occasional unnecessary f-bomb, it kept me engaged until the very end. 4 stars. Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First I would like to thank Amy James and HarperCollins Publishing for the ARC of “A Five-Letter Word for Love.”

I could not put this book down, the writing was easy to read. Although, a bit repetitive at times, but isn’t that the point of Wordle? It’s something you do every day, once a day, it just becomes routine.

This book is a bit of the grumpy x sunshine romance. The main character, Emily, is super relatable (to me) with her unique outlook on life. Her coworker, John, is more closed off and content. The supporting characters are great and help move the story along. My personal favorites are Kiara, Trey, and Jim.

Overall, it’s a book about Wordle with a hint of romance.

DNF @ 20%

I thought the premise of this book was cute, but I could not gel with its execution. The main character Emily is so judgmental and unlikable, ironically the only thing she has going for her is her Wordle streak. John feels completely one dimensional. The two characters have zero chemistry.

As someone who does the Wordle every morning, I knew I had to read this book. I really enjoyed the banter between Emily and John. I also loved that John wasn't your typical romance book love interest but was so swoony in his attention and care toward Emily. The older characters were great and brought so much depth to the story. Overall this was a really cute fun read! Plus the PEI setting was great!

DNF. I REALLY did not enjoy the conversational prose style. It seemed very unorganized and just like the main character was rambling her thoughts to the reader, but not in a cute way. Also, WORDLE wouldn’t have BOWLS as a word

Spoiler: “A Five Letter Word for Love” convinced me to download Wordle!

Emily is 27 years old, working a dead-end job on Prince Edward Island with long-distance friends she is no longer connecting with. The only thing of value in her life is a 300+ day New York Times Wordle streak.

"A Five Letter Word for Love" by Amy James is a fun story addressing life's complexities, relationships, and personal growth. The FMC, Emily, is portrayed as a somewhat relatable 20-something struggling with a dead-end job and distant friendships. Her passion for the New York Times Wordle streak adds an interesting layer to her character. I loved how she chose her Wordle guesses based on what she was feeling or experiencing that day.

The book explores the theme of personal growth, portraying Emily's journey from immaturity to self-realization. In contrast to Emily, the MMC John, is content working as a mechanic in the small community on Prince Edward Island. He doesn’t seem to care what anyone else thinks about his chosen path in life because it genuinely makes him happy. While initially standoffish, John teaches Emily to set achievable goals and not succumb to societal pressures.

The writing style is engaging, the characters are likable, and their development throughout the plot makes reading easy. The romance aspect of the book is subtly woven into the storyline, adding a sweet and realistic touch to the narrative.

Overall, "A Five Letter Word for Love" is a sweet read. The writing style, character likability, entertainment value, plot, and romance elements contribute to a well-rounded and enjoyable novel.

***I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.***

Rating: 3.8 stars
WRITING STYLE: 0.7/1
CHARACTER LIKABILITY: 0.8/1
ENTERTAINMENT: 0.7/1
PLOT: 0.8/1
ROMANCE: 0.7/1

This book was adorable! Emily was bubbly, sweet and caring. She was a little flighty, but so endearing in her interactions and with how much she cared for others. John was the perfect counter part for her, with his quiet, stoic ways. But truly it was the worldle that won me over. A love story based on a word game? It was exactly what my word-nerd heart needed! My husband and I play wordle every day and have a friendly competition to see who can get the longest streak of correct solves. (He's winning, with 84 days to my 76.) Every time a reference to wordle was made, I couldn't help but smile because it reminded me of us. I highly recommend this sweet, lighthearted and fun wordle romance!

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon & Harper Voyager for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Book Review: A Five Letter Word for Love

As a Wordle fan, I was immediately drawn to the concept of love connected to the game, which added a fun and unique touch. Emily’s growth throughout the story, especially in her role as a caretaker for the elderly, was a highlight for me. The elderly characters brought a special charm, and watching Emily come to value her job was easily my favorite aspect of the book.

However, despite her growth, Emily still felt somewhat immature by the end. The chemistry between her and John lacked development, jumping from 0 to 100 too quickly for me to truly invest in their relationship. While the concept and character growth were enjoyable, the rushed romance left me wanting a bit more.

A Five-Letter Word for Love is an interesting story, like a deck of mixed playing cards. It felt the highs and lows of its protagonist Emily and found myself very much walking in her shoes.

I related heavily Emily, but I do think she will likely not be everyone’s cup of tea when it comes to protagonists. As for me, I came to appreciate and love her evolution throughout this narrative. She aspired for the sky and could not understand those who did not reach for the same heights. She could not understand small town living as being the endgame of life. It made the perception of her judgey and snobbish and narrow-minded. But at the same time, once you’re in her head you see why she wants to fly as high as those clouds. She does not feel enough. She is lonely, untethered, and unsure of her future. So she sets big dreams and goals and yearns to reach for them. But the goals are ever changing because she doesn’t have that singular spark for that one thing. Take, for example, her job. She wants more but initially cannot pinpoint exactly that something more. She doesn’t have a natural inclination or talent— but she dreams for it. And I can’t help but see that and feel it holds a mirror up to my own life. My own desires, my own wants— my own loneliness. I get Emily, and even when she was wrong and made the wrong decisions— I could always see the why behind it. It just made me want to embrace and support her.

Luckily John is there to do that for her. And I did enjoy the burgeoning friendship between them— but not their romance.

The cover and title is all about love, but that’s where I felt this narrative faltered. I never understood John as his own character, much less as a love interest. He was stoic and quiet, and I enjoyed those vibes initially, but I never thought the narrative peeled enough layers back to say I truly got him as his own character.

That said, I do appreciate the mirror he held up a mirror to Emily. How he tried to show her she could be enough and find enough just where she is and how unfair she was towards others (and herself). I do believe he became a needed and trusted friend to Emily, who helped to guide her. But their romance lacked chemistry and belief they can go the distance. There’s a moment in the final act that could have been shaped into a beautiful romantic grand gesture, instead it was just a moment made by a very pragmatic action by a character. It burst my bubble a bit, I must say.

I didn’t always like Emily, but I always got her. She made this book for me. I’ve been in her shoes— I still am!— I understand her dreams for that something more, the restless of her current now, and her uncertainty in every next step. I didn’t always like Emily, but I always, always loved her. I always rooted for her. And I always wanted to see her blossom.

And she did just that!

If you enjoy stories where personal growth takes center stage, and protagonists are relabel and tangible, be sure to pick up A Five-Letter Word for Love!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for this complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
3.5