Title: Love Lettering
Author: Kate Clayborn
Date of publication: 31 Dec 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My rating: 3 stars
Blurb
Meg Mackworth’s hand-lettering skill has made her famous as the Planner of Park Slope, designing beautiful custom journals for New York City’s elite. She has another skill too: reading signs that other people miss. Like the time she sat across from Reid Sutherland and his gorgeous fiancée, and knew their upcoming marriage was doomed to fail. Weaving a secret word into their wedding program was a little unprofessional, but she was sure no one else would spot it. She hadn’t counted on sharp-eyed, pattern-obsessed Reid . . .
A year later, Reid has tracked Meg down to find out—before he leaves New York for good—how she knew that his meticulously planned future was about to implode. But with a looming deadline, a fractured friendship, and a bad case of creative block, Meg doesn’t have time for Reid’s questions—unless he can help her find her missing inspiration. As they gradually open up to each other about their lives, work, and regrets, both try to ignore the fact that their unlikely connection is growing deeper. But the signs are there—irresistible, indisputable, urging Meg to heed the messages Reid is sending her, before it’s too late . . .
Review
It pains me to write this review, I expected to love this book as much as i have loved all of the previous books of Kate Clayborn but this one didn't quite work for me and this made me sad. I have mixed feelings, loved the first half, was confused and unhappy with the second half, so my rating is 3 stars overall.
I will start with the good - lovely, engaging writing, deep first-person POV, great rep of an young woman finding her place personally and professionally in the big city. I loved seeing so much her professional life and how it shapes/reflects who she is. Much of the first half of he story is focused almost completely on Meg and it reads a lot like women’s fiction.
Reid, unlike Meg, remained mysterious and unfamiliar to the reader until late in the novel. We were getting to know him slowly and we saw a shy and somewhat awkward guy, not very open about himself and his job.
I loved the idea of the games they played and how the whole games things featured in the story. I also very much liked that we so much of Meg's and Reid's relationships with other people - family, friends, colleagues, clients. They all served to reveal more of their character.
The romance itself was slow burn, starting with a tentative emotional connection, gradually building up to intimacy. I appreciate the scene with her period which we rarely see in romance, and how supporting and understanding of her discomfort during her period.
I was not very happy with the first sex scene and the implication that he is given her the best experience she has ever had. It had these strong not-like-other men vibes, presenting her as someone which either picked only the wrong guys before or didn't know/care much of her own desire and pleasure, either of which is not flattering to her. At the same time I do appreciate the openness in discussing their desires and preferences.
The second half had a completely different vibe, more dynamic, full of action/things happening, verging on too much drama. Reid lying to her and thus putting her whole career in danger was a huge issue, not an unforgivable one but I feel he didn't grovel nearly enough and she forgave him far too easily. I wanted her to be angry with him, to fight with him (something we have seen her learning to do through the story btw), instead she was angry for a minute or so and then she was worried, concerned and ultimately reading his letter, showing full understanding of his thinking and actions, and forgiving him. His apology/explanation with a letter might appear as tender, romantic gesture but I felt like a cope-out to me, stealing her chance to express her POV. It was all unilateral and she just accepted it and they moved on.
I am happy that things worked out in the end and that Meg an Reid ended together but I didn't like how the main conflict was handled.
Overall, this is a very difficult book for me to review, it had some great elements, i loved bits of it so much but also i was angry and disappointed with other bits. The different tone and pacing of the first and second half made me feel like i was reading two different books, the first one being far superior to the second one.
I still absolutely love Kate Clayborn’s writing, the amazing female MCs she creates and despite this story not working for me the way I expected, I am still looking forward to reading more by this author.
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