Books & Brews: Love & Other Words

In our February Book Club meeting, we discussed Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren. 

 

“The story of the heart can never be unwritten” encapsulates the central theme of Christina Lauren’s novel, which follows Macy Sorensen, a young woman settling into a routine life with her fiancé. However, when she unexpectedly encounters her first love, Elliot Petropoulos, her carefully constructed world begins to unravel.

 

Through alternating timelines, the novel explores their past as close friends who eventually fell in love, only to be torn apart by tragedy. As they reconnect in the present, they must confront their past, their betrayals, and their lingering feelings for each other, in order to find healing and rediscover the possibility of true love. 

Discussion Questions

  1. How does the timeline jumping from past to present impact your understanding of Macy and Elliot? Do you feel more sympathetic to Macy’s decision in light of seeing her both as a child at the start of a relationship and as an adult in its aftermath? Why or why not?
  2. In what ways is Macy’s parents’ marriage a model for Macy’s future relationships? Does her desire for an “all-consuming” love impact her decision to take things slow with Elliot initially?
  3. How does grief shape Macy’s personality and character? How does her relationship with Elliot affect her grief and vice versa?
  4. What do you think of Sean and Macy’s relationship? How did you feel about Macy ending it?
  5. How do you feel about the way the author handled the New Year’s incident with Elliott
  6. How did you feel about the way Duncan passed? Did he need to die?
  7. Did you see the book unravelling the way it did or were you surprised when Macy finally found the words to share her side of the story?
  8. Do you think Macy should have told Elliott about Duncan when the accident happened? How do you think that would have changed the story? Would they still end up together?
  9. Why does Elliot want “to move past this closet” (p. 395)? Do you agree with Elliot that you can’t go backward and that the key to happiness is moving forward.
  10. One critique of modern romance fiction is that it sets up unrealistic expectations about relationships. Do you think this story does that? In what ways are Macy and Elliot realistic or unrealistic in the way they treat one another?

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