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A review by morgan_is_reading
A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A Five-Letter Word for Love absolutely surprised me in some great ways. While on its surface a Wordle-themed rom-com, this book really explores finding oneself and learning to find the value of life's ordinary beauty.
Emily is a woman in her late twenties whose life is not at all what she imagined post-college. She is a dreamer and idealist, yet she finds herself working as a receptionist at an auto shop, applying for a "real job". While constantly optimistic, she also finds herself lonely and grappling with navigating the changing and having friendships of her university days and trying to find new relationships on her current life situation.
Enter John, a mechanic of few words who is perfectly (mostly) content with his life working at the auto shop he and Emily both work at on Price Edward Island. He rarely has interacted with her until a car mishap forces an interaction, which leads to more. They soon discover that what they each saw on the surface of the other was not all there was.
Meanwhile, this book also explores the value of the elderly and local history, storytelling, and recognizing that you can take many paths on life, but eventually have to choose one. Choosing isn't always settling, sometimes it's just knowing your heart.
I could have done with a little less Wordle and a little more personality from John, but the local museum subplot and the elderly people that are so well developed in this book really make this a solid read. Ultimately, this book celebrates the ordinary, and how exceptional each ordinary, well-lived life is.
Emily is a woman in her late twenties whose life is not at all what she imagined post-college. She is a dreamer and idealist, yet she finds herself working as a receptionist at an auto shop, applying for a "real job". While constantly optimistic, she also finds herself lonely and grappling with navigating the changing and having friendships of her university days and trying to find new relationships on her current life situation.
Enter John, a mechanic of few words who is perfectly (mostly) content with his life working at the auto shop he and Emily both work at on Price Edward Island. He rarely has interacted with her until a car mishap forces an interaction, which leads to more. They soon discover that what they each saw on the surface of the other was not all there was.
Meanwhile, this book also explores the value of the elderly and local history, storytelling, and recognizing that you can take many paths on life, but eventually have to choose one. Choosing isn't always settling, sometimes it's just knowing your heart.
I could have done with a little less Wordle and a little more personality from John, but the local museum subplot and the elderly people that are so well developed in this book really make this a solid read. Ultimately, this book celebrates the ordinary, and how exceptional each ordinary, well-lived life is.