I loved the concept of this book - is love spiritual or wholly physical, and how can you explain it - which are questions I have always pondered. I enjoyed following the story of Alice and Luke, who had completely different ideas on what they perceived love to be however despite their differences and opinions at the end of the day love is love and if it is meant to be, it will happen regardless of how hard you resist.
I loved the vast differences between Alice and Luke and the shifting dynamics between them as the book progressed showing the opposites really do attract.

This was a nice slow burn romance that dealt with various topics, some heavier than others. An easy escapism read.

This was adorable. Alice was not always the most relatable or interesting narrator but her evolving sense of self and emotional presence in her own narrative was a compelling read. I loved Luke’s faux grumpy attitude and Joanie’s just… actually I just loved joanie.

This was a sweet story with a depth and realness that felt both powerful and real.

This was an easy read with a side of heavier content. I enjoyed it for what it was. It was good to watch the fmc overcome her hardships and grow as a person.

An opposites attract romance, the story of Allice and Luke. They were at school together, where she was in to philosophy and he was in to science. Allice is not happy yo be back in her home town after the end of her relationship and losing her job in London. When she meets Luke again they clash, and agree on a bet, but will either of them lose? A great read.

Rebecca Ryan’s "The Philosophy of Love" is a deeply contemplative and beautifully written exploration of the complexities of romantic relationships and the search for meaning in love. Ryan's eloquent prose and insightful observations delve into the nuances of love, examining its impact on personal growth and life choices. The characters are richly developed, each navigating their own philosophical and emotional journeys with depth and authenticity. The novel’s thoughtful narrative and reflective themes offer readers a profound and engaging experience, making "The Philosophy of Love" a compelling and intellectually stimulating read. Ideal for those who enjoy literature that blends romance with philosophical inquiry.

Such a cute storyline and I got massively attached to the characters. I adore Rebeccas writing, and loved her previous book My (Extra) Ordinary Life. This book has definitely become one of my solid favourites.

This was a fun and sweet read with the perfect amount of fluffy romance and wonderful characters. I really enjoyed the premise and how Rebecca also added in a bit of a depth.

I .hate givinga a books a little stars rating, but what can I say I just didn't feel this one.
I didn't connect to the MCs, to the storyline.
It was cute, but not for me.
2.5 stars

I didn’t love this book, but I also didn’t dislike it. It didn’t feel as though there was anything super unique about the story and felt as though it was a standard romance book. It was enjoyable enough to read and finish, there just wasn’t anything that really stood out to me.

I like Luke’s character more than Alice. She was a nice protagonist, but sometimes felt that her personality fell a little short and she came across a little bland. Like on the other hand had a bit of an edge to him which I always like in an MMC.

Aunty M and Joanie definitely made the story for me! They were my favourite characters, theyr banter and personalities were hilarious and definitely found myself laughing out loud during their scenes.

I really liked the pacing for a slow burn. It wasn’t too slow which can sometimes be the case with a lot of slow burn books I read and felt that the big chunk of romance towards the end of the book made up for what we didn’t get in the beginning.

Overall, it was a nice read but I wouldn’t go out of my way t recommend it and unfortunately probably wouldn’t pick up another book by Rebecca for a little while.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC which I will start with saying I enjoyed this very much.
This is the first novel I've read by this author and I could not give it lower than five stars

I really liked Alice, not at first, it took me while to engage with her, but now I know her a bit more and know why she is guarded and a comes across a little above herself, I'm all in. I loved her self discovery, and her desire to empower and support others. She was a bit of a gem really.

Similar story with Luke, he didn't have the greatest start for me, but once I'd warmed to him, I was obsessed!

I loved all of the other characters; Auntie, Joannie and Tylor and of course all the dates and the horrible boss. I really wanted to book to carry on as I loved being in Easington with them all. Such a warm community I recognised and felt I'd inhabited myself.

I'd read more of this author's books in heartbeat. Thank you very much.

Blog tour organised by SJV

http://ramblingmads.uk/2024/02/03/blog-tour-the-philosophy-of-love-rebecca-ryan/

A very fluffy romance that deals with past traumas. I did like this one. It wasn’t what I was expecting to get out of it and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

A good romance story. However more lit fic than rom com. While dealing with emotional abuse, trauma and anxiety.

While we can see where this book will go pretty early on it doesn’t stop you from enjoying the ride,
Seeing the banter between the characters was fun. Seeeing a book set in the north of the UK was fun change from the usual of set in London.
We saw some great changes in Alice as she grew and found herself as the book progressed

Rebecca Ryan is a genius who knows how to write a seemingly sad story but somehow make it hilarious and uplifting!
This book brought me so much joy and made me reminisce about my small-town life in back in England. It made me happy, and sad, and squealing from joy too! I absolutely loved Alice and related to her on so many levels! If you’re a millennial (or pretty much any other generation feeling a bit lost) you’ll see yourself in this book. And by the end of it you’ll know - it’s okay not to have your life figured out in your late 20s, it’s okay to go out and put yourself out there as many times as needed in search of something unique and special, it’s okay to be a romantic and look for love even after many disappointments, it’s okay to go back to your childhood home/town when life gives you lemons. It’s all okay. And it will all get figured out. Somehow. No doubt.
While “main character going out with different guys to find the one” trope is not exactly my cup of tea, everything else about this book is wonderful! Luke was so great. He and Alice are so cute I still can’t get over it. I loved seeing friendships Alice made throughout this book and how her relationship with her family evolved. I loved seeing Alice change, learn things about herself, and become free from her past and happy again.

I had a great time on the blog tour for The Philosophy of Love by Rebecca Ryan, I finished it in 3 sittings.

I feel that Alice’s journey is put together and presented is wonderfully, the realisation of her role in her relationship with Charles and the damage she carries from that. Subtle and real. We gently visit a woman who has been gaslight, controlled mentally, emotionally, and financially. The one day she is slung out of that life and placed what feels to her like a backward step.

Having lived in London for over 10 years, finding herself back in the little village not far from Durham in her childhood bedroom with no prospects is quite devastating.

I love how she is thrown together with Luke Priestly with whom she jointly won an Academy Excellence Award at School, he went on to excel in education.

There are so many LOL moments in this book. It’s told in 5 parts, each part representing a male in her life.

Her mum and dad are wonderfully loving, her Aunt M is so so funny.

She has a friend from Uni called Gabby who pops up on her phone from time to time, her little job at the dire Chinese Restaurant gives her Joanie and her little boy to connect and grow with.

There’s also a lot of community love and spirit that are touched upon. Luke and Alice are so so different. He doesn’t believe in love and she does. Yet, they embark on a friendship and bet. It’s so much more about the journey than who wins.

I recommend this as an easy to follow, fun with some live lessons and exploration read.

This was an adorable, comforting and loving book. Who is to say whether the philosopher or the neurobiologist is correct in their ideas behind “love”?

Amazing book!
I was thoroughly engaged throughout this book and I didn't want to put it down! The author captured my attention from the get go! Five stars from me :)

Quite a witty read and it was such a fun romance. I thought the characters were great and well developed too. Great holiday read.

@currentlyreading__
Book 9 of 2024

After reading @becsryanauthor’s first book ‘My (extra) Ordinary Life’ and loving it, I was so happy to receive a copy of ‘The Philosophy of Love’ from @NetGalley. What I love about Rebecca’s writing is that it is so relatable. She writes a female protagonist we can all root for and what better one than Alice, escaping coercive and controlling relationship with the dastardly Charles. She retreats back to her native North East and finds safety in her childhood bedroom and reconnecting with her roots.

As a celebrated student of Philosophy at school, she was destined for success so reconnecting with her love of the field means applying for university as a mature student, a journey of self-discovery and meeting up with an old adversary to her academic success, Luke. He is now a scientist and believing that love is JUST a chemical reaction, they hedge a mutual bet on the subject of falling in love.

This is a really cosy read; characters you can’t help but relate to, a plot which, whilst some might say is predictable in the sense that Luke and Alice are destined to end up together, but isn’t that just what we want at times? A happily ever after with no questions asked - happiness just baked into the plot? Yes, I say - give me all the happiness and all of the love. After all, what is February if it’s not the month of love?! ❤️

Out now.

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