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A review by stephdaydreams
A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James
3.0
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.
first thoughts:
Full review to come.
Admittedly struggling on the rating for this one. I'll add 3 for now, but I think I'll bump up to 3.5 (listing as 4).
I don’t think the protagonist will be everyone’s cup of tea, but I quite appreciated her journey. She stumbled along the way but I could very much relate. I liked her, flaws and all.
On the other hand, the romance fell short. Considering the title and cover of this book, I expected the love story to be at the heart of the story instead it felt more like a last minute added footnote.
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.
first thoughts:
Full review to come.
Admittedly struggling on the rating for this one. I'll add 3 for now, but I think I'll bump up to 3.5 (listing as 4).
I don’t think the protagonist will be everyone’s cup of tea, but I quite appreciated her journey. She stumbled along the way but I could very much relate. I liked her, flaws and all.
On the other hand, the romance fell short. Considering the title and cover of this book, I expected the love story to be at the heart of the story instead it felt more like a last minute added footnote.