As a Wordle fan, I thought this was a cute book. It took me about 15% of the book to get into what felt like stream of conscious writing but over all was a very sweet book. I came to care for the elderly characters the most, perhaps latching onto Emily's love for them all. I even cried towards the end. I don't love a third act breakup but it was ok. I liked that Emily was not a character of miscommunication, she really was able to stop, think and correct any intrusive thoughts she had. I wish there was some sort of conclusion to her university friendships.

🌷𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡.🌷

🌸🌸🌸

୨୧ 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ୨୧
⤻ cute romance
⤻ work colleagues
⤻ friends to lovers
⤻ slow burn
⤻ grumpy x sunshine

🌸🌸🌸

⊹ ⪩ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ⪨ ⊹
The story follows Emily and John, two people who bond over Wordle (how cute is that?), and it's just as fun as it sounds! Emily is super relatable with her unique outlook on life, and her connection with John feels so genuine. I loved how playful and teasing they were with each other! Their relationship grows in such a natural, heartwarming way, without any over-the-top drama, just two people figuring out what’s best for themselves and their relationship.

The side characters make this book even better, adding a lot to the story, and the dialogue is really well done. The narrative style pulls you right into Emily's head, which I personally loved, but it might not be for everyone. Heads up if you're a Wordle expert—you’ll get a little rundown on the rules, and Emily's approach to the game is pretty casual, so don’t expect any big strategic moves from her!

Overall, Emily and John's journey to find their way back to each other is both inspiring and full of heart, making it the perfect pick for anyone who loves a meaningful love story with a fresh twist.

🌸🌸🌸

ʚ♡ɞ 𝐅𝐚𝐯 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬/𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 ʚ♡ɞ
“You… do Wordle?”
“Yeah,” he says. “All the time.”
⤷ the beginning of a new love story <33

“Life is only as complicated as you make it.”
⤷ my new life motto!

“People can change their natures, if they want it enough.”
⤷ well said!

“There were thousands of things I wanted to do, I'm sure. But you can't do everything you want to do in life.”
⤷ this makes me feel a bit sad tbh.

“Emily is a great comfort to me. I highly recommend her services.”
-Jim
⤷ if ykyk..

<< 🌸Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.🌸 >>

This book was giving cozy, cute, and small-town rom-com. This story resonated with me because it is okay to not know what the next steps are in life, just take it one moment at a time. What intrigued me most in this book was the use of Wordle throughout it making it even more fun and adorable to read. I also enjoyed how real their love story seemed to be how "normal" Josh was and getting to see Emily go through a "real life" romance. I will be recommending this book when it comes out in December. Perfect to read while curled up with a cozy blanket and warm drink.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As an avid WORDLE fan, this was a cute read. I was a little hesitant at first but it got me hooked. I do wish there was a little more plot but it focuses more on the characters themselves rather than the story yet they still needed more depth. Regardless, it's super fun to see how a NYT game can bring people to a wonderful and sweet love. Read if you are also a fan of the grumpy x sunshine trope!

A cute and fast romance book centered around the game Wordle if you’re looking for a quick read. If you’re looking for anything more substantial steer clear.

The book made a lot more sense after I read this is the author’s debut romance book. Is the set up for the book there? Yes, but the plot is flimsy, and the characters are very 2 dimensional.
The main character can definitely read as judgy and snobby especially when she’s describing her life and talking to other people, especially the old folks that she cares for. I didn’t have too many issues with John but also as a man with mixed heritage more could have been done.

Halfway through the book you start to realize that the FMC could be given her dreams on a gold platter, and she still wouldn’t be happy, so her conflicts and self-doubt start to get really annoying.

But like I said, this is the authors debut book so I'm not judging too harshly. I read the book in less than 6 hours in between 2 heavier fantasy books so it did the job that it was intended to do.

This was such a cute story! Something of a pallate cleanser if you've been reading the heavy stuff. Highly recommend.

I really tried to make it work, but I truly believe this couple breaks up after the book ends. How is it going to work when one person is obsessed with everything (and extremely rede and judgmental) and the other person is literally the most passive person ever—except for cars? Another major point of me not liking the couple is the way the conversation felt surface level only, no connection or emotion in them…

How is it that in chapter 14, she was trying to get her neighbor to take some pills at 11.45am, and three pages later “her phone buzzes and it’s a message from John at 11.24am”? That is one one the many inconsistencies I’ve found in the book, but the main one is that I don’t really think the author of this book has ever played wordle a day in her life.

Also who the hell wants to see a deceased person who’s not their family, or who would allow a complete stranger to see said deceased person?

There’s also the part where in trying to do Jim justice in the museums, she starts screaming—rather unprofessional, even if she was in the right— in front of actual ‘clients’. I don’t care how you volunteered there and where asked to not come back by the manager, you simply don’t scream in the middle of the day to prove a point when there are thousands of more professional ways to do it.

The whole plot of the story revolves around her wordle streak, and in the end, i’m supposed to believe she just gives it

At the end of the day, I don’t think Emily’s character—and John’s, if i’m being honest— had any character development, and it saddens me because the only thing I didn’t just in this book was the cover.

Thanks again to NetGalley and Avon via HarperCollins for the e-arc of this book to read.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a fan of wordle, I was already entertained by the idea of this story. I enjoyed the plot and the characters!

Another debut read this week, though I felt like I could see the places where this could've used a little more trimming, particularly in the last third of the plot — which is what makes this book skew closer to a women's fiction/romance hybrid for me overall, rather than being a straight-up romance read. This was mostly about Emily's road to self-discovery and pursuing her true dreams, with her road to a relationship with someone essentially one component of her overall story — again, not necessarily a bad thing, but for people who may be expecting adherence to certain genre conventions, just know that the plot focuses more on the main character overall, from being in her POV to following her journey over that of her romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is an ARC review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thought this was a really sweet, feel-good book! I loved the overall story and how everything fell into place.

I took off a couple of stars due to the main characters. I actually enjoyed reading about the side characters a bit more and felt they really contributed to the story. The FMC was a bit annoying and whiny/immature and the MMC didn’t have much depth to him. I would have loved to see more intricacy of their relationship.

Overall, it’s a cute book that I enjoyed reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amy James for the ARC!

I thought i was going to love it but being honest im not a huge fan of the way wordle was incorporated into the story the writing style also made the book so a bit slow for me. Overall i liked the romance but i wouldn’t re-read the book seeming that i didn’t have a great time reading it.

Did I request to read this book because Wordle is involved?!? 100% yes 😂 Now in my defense Wordle has become almost an inside joke for me and my coworkers. We play it everyday and then post about it in our team’s group message thread. So when I read the synopsis of “A Five-Letter Word for Love” and it involved our two main characters bonding and falling in love over Wordle I knew I had to read it. So Big thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for granting my request and providing me an ARC.

I had no idea going into this book that this was Amy James debut novel. For this being her debut I thought it was a super sweet coming of age story with a splash of romance. Overall, I did enjoy the book even though it was far from perfect. I also feel like I should give a massive disclaimer to the Spice side of BookTok. This story does contain romance, however there is no spice and if that’s what you’re search for in this novel you won’t find it. To me this was more of coming of age story of a young woman learning to love and trust her judgment in whatever path she chooses to follow in life.

Overall, I’m rating “A Five-Letter Word for Love” 3 stars and even though it’s not my favorite book of the year I still enjoyed my time reading it and would recommend it for anyone looking for a quick read. I will also be checking out more of Amy James books to come!

I had high hopes for this one, but ultimately, it fell flat for me.

Initially, I loved the Wordle aspect and found it charming. However, about midway through, it seemed like an afterthought/forced.

John (MMC) is a man of few words, which is ok. However, I expected his walls to come down a bit throughout the story, and we just never got more from him.

Emily (FMC) I found myself going back and forth between enjoying her and being annoyed by her.

I enjoyed Emily's clients and the time she spent with them. I also enjoyed the creativity of when she was at the museum.

Overall, the story and romance were definitely lackluster. There were still cute and sweet parts, as well as a few moments that made me laugh. I enjoyed the setting and the idea of Emily and John. I just wanted more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James is a delightful small-town romance with a unique twist: Wordle. Emily, a 27-year-old receptionist from Prince Edward Island, is navigating a quarter-life crisis, yearning for a creative career and big-city life, but stuck in a monotonous job and a dull town. Her daily ritual of playing Wordle becomes the unlikely bridge between her and John, a seemingly irritating coworker who, as it turns out, might be her perfect match. Their journey towards a shared 365-day streak in the game mirrors their evolving relationship, bringing unexpected romance into Emily’s life.

The book stands out for its inventive use of Wordle as a plot device, infusing a touch of modern charm into the classic romance formula. The progression of Emily and John's relationship, while endearing at times, does feel somewhat rushed and lacks depth. Some readers may find the repetitive focus on Wordle puzzles tedious, but for fans of the game, it adds a fun and relatable element. The portrayal of small-town life and the personal growth of the characters resonate well, though certain aspects, like the characterization of John, could benefit from more development.

Overall, A Five-Letter Word for Love is a cozy, light-hearted read with a refreshing twist. It's perfect for those who appreciate a blend of romance and modern quirks, even if the romance itself feels a bit undercooked. If you’re looking for a sweet escape that ties together the charm of small-town life and the excitement of a Wordle streak, this book might just be the right pick for you.

thank you netgalley & avon and harper voyager for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!

this was a cute, short small town romance. i thought that the wordle aspect was a unique thing to add to the story, however it got repetitive at some point. one of the main issues i had in terms of storytelling is the author did a lot of telling and not showing when it came to the romance in particular. they kind of just got together. while the two main characters did have some cute moments, overall i feel like their relationship lacked depth as well as john’s character. he was just kind of there.

i didn’t love this, but i didn’t hate it.

When I first found this book on NetGalley, I thought it sounded like an interesting love story. Now reading it, it most definitely was like no other love story I’ve read. A love story built around a game? Who’s done that before? It was quite a cute, fun, heartwarming read. I fell in love with the characters and felt Emily’s emotions through the pages. I would definitely recommend this book, it’s a quick, well written romance!

So backstory my whole entire family loves "wordle" so this was a must read for me. In fact I will be buying this for the adults in my family for the holidays because its perfect. I love everything about this novel and it just was so cute. I feel like if I had a 300 day streak Idk what I would do with myself but I would take myself out. I loved that John helps her out and continues to do so and well you know what happens.

This is so cute and it's a different type of love story! Love the cover and the dynamics. Also, the character develop is great so you will easily get attached to them

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this earc

This book was really sweet. I read it pretty quickly and sometimes that’s exactly what we need. Small town romance. And that’s the part I enjoyed the most. The fact that after everything, the characters stay (or come back) to the small town for good.

Characters did feel a bit younger than their age is supposed to be. And the main character is incredibly naive and I don’t think she gave her “move to NYC” a chance. Like girl, you get into a great school and get an amazing internship but leave after three weeks? I feel like the story would have been better if she just a got “big job” two towns over and came back home from there.

Overall, this won’t change your life but I could distract you for a few hours

2.5 rounding up.

As a Wordle enthusiast, I was so excited to receive an ARC for this book. I had high hopes for this cute premise, but had a really hard time seeing past the glaring errors in the Wordle puzzles. Emily was one of the more insufferable characters I’ve read recently and unfortunately, John was no prize either. Their romance was lackluster and not in the way it intended to be.

An editor should look into the Wordle days for train, ghost, and dirty. Also, NYT does not allow you to use swears.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Amy James, and Avon for this ARC.