This is Rom-Com at its best. An enemies to lovers trope packed with dry wit that made me smile but with a heartfelt and serious storyline at its heart. Like her first novel, Rebecca Ryan is brilliant at creating relatable characters and showing us that what we see on the outside isn't always how we feel on the inside.

Sometimes you just need to feel good, predictable romcom in your life! A really enjoyable read. It was obvious that Luke and Alice would get together … a bit like the hallmark Christmas films, but sometimes you need a bit of a feel good in your life and this one ticks all of the boxes 😊

Such a heartwarming book, with a great friends to lovers romance plot, set in a small town.
This book had an added healing journey for the FMC, Alice, after coming out of an abus*ve relationship, and having to heal from this in order to be able to start a new healthy relationship.
Luke and Alice form such an incredible friendship, which beautifully turned into a relationship towards the end of the book.
They were plenty of likeable characters in this book and I really enjoyed reading it.

3.5 ⭐️

This was an enjoyable read! Made me laugh out loud at times with the gags - hilariously accurate 😅 I was expecting more romance from the storyline but the main focus was definitely the fmc (Alice) character development which was still good, just not what I was expecting! I didn’t feel a huge connection with Luke (mmc) at all which could have been improved with a chapter or two from his POV perhaps?

The men in Alice’s life REALLY pissed me off throughout (which was the point I know) but WOW this really sparked my hatred in men all over again!!

I would have loved to have read more about their relationship towards the end to make it feel more like a romance novel 💓

I also caught a handful of sentences with words missing / incorrect spelling throughout the book.

This book is my idea of perfection! It has the best love story at the heart of it but it is only focused on two people which can become a little tedious. We are introduced to some more thoughtful analysis of relationships, both romantic and otherwise which are all uplifting and well-rounded. I love all the characters and this is also quite rare. One of those books where I am sad it has ended because I enjoyed spending my t8me in that space. I also liked the North-East location and the thematic opportunities that allowed. Essentially, this is a love story and there were moments where I laughed, cried but generally just felt a bit gooey inside for a while. Perfect.

The Philosophy of Love by Rebecca Ryan 📕

💫 The cafe is long and narrow so if you’re seated towards the back - where Luke and I end up - it’s like hovering on the perimeter of a black hole. ‘Good spot for vampires’ I mutter.

Alice, recently separated from her long-term boyfriend, is back living with her parents in her childhood home. However, she still strongly believes in love and its importance. She bumps into an old school friend, Luke, who is a scientist and believes that love can be measured and explained. So they make a bet that if one of them falls in love in the next six months, Alice wins, and, if not, Luke does.

My review 📖:
This is a rom-com that had me laughing throughout. Alice has a sarcastic, self-deprecating inner-voice that continued to make me giggle.

I really enjoyed reading the first three-quarters of the book. Aside from love, the book also focuses on Alice and her determination to become who she wants to in life and to overcome her battle with her abusive ex.

It seemed obvious that Luke and Alice would get together and they eventually did but it took more than three-quarters of the book for this to happen. I enjoy reading slow-burners but things felt really rushed once it did happen and this is why I didn’t enjoy the last quarter or so of the book as much. Indeed, Alice tells us, at this point, what has already happened between them over the previous few weeks, rather than us getting to experience it with her in the present. It made it somewhat underwhelming as a result.

It’s a closed-door book, no spice, which is absolutely fine because I like a good romance book but then the romance part was just lacking in places when the main protagonists did eventually get together.

The romance in chapters 35 and 36 was much better though and a great way to end the book.

There were quite a few spelling mistakes (Luke sat on a tool instead of stool which made me laugh), added words (random snake on page 157) and missing words throughout, which I’m sure will be corrected before publishing but these were a little distracting for me whilst reading.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Thank you @netgalley and @simonschusterUK for the eARC.

My score: 4/5 ⭐️

‘The Philosophy of Love’ by Rebecca Ryan tells the story of Alice and Luke - academic rivals at high school, the pair haven’t spoken for more than a decade, but bump into each other while Alice is in the middle of an embarrassing incident. She is the opposite of thrilled when she realises that in the time she spent building a life in London around her boyfriend before discovering him in a compromising position with another woman and heading right back home, he’s worked his way up to a plum position researching evolutionary biology at Durham University.

As they catch up, Luke reveals he is currently working on a study about Love, and Alice shares her philosophical thoughts - despite how things turned out with her ex, she still believes in true love. A bet is struck, and both of them vow to throw themselves into the world of dating.

I thought this was a much heavier book than implied by the cover - with themes of coercive abuse and mental health a key focus - but I really liked the way these topics were handled. I wanted only the best for the two main characters, and I also enjoyed many of the side-characters.

At its heart, this is a book about coming home again and realising that you are enough - and that’s a moral I can definitely get behind! I’d recommend to fans of Catherine Walsh and Beth O’Leary!

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK.

[TW: domestic violence/coercive control]

I feel honoured to have been approved to read an ARC copy of this book via Net Galley. To be released in February 2024!

I loved this book, I loved the characters, and I enjoyed the relatability of the characters and situations depicted in the story.

It was a fabulous feel good romantic novel, which combines important themes of domestic violence and narcissism.

I enjoyed everything about this book, it tugged on all emotions and I couldn't put it down!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (5 stars!)

4🌟
Whilst this book was largely predictable, it is one of those sweet, heartwarming stories. Not only this, but there are undercurrents of a character overcoming her own self-esteem and the way she's been put down in the past and impacted (TW: domestic violence. Anxiety and eating disorder). On that note it's a really lovely way to see the reality that the character is going through and it feels very relatable because of the vulnerability and honesty of the character.

Each character adds depth to the story, instead of being an add on, and they help to build the whole scenario but also help the character to learn about herself and come to terms with a lot of different things.

Whilst it has some large and difficult themes, it is a lighthearted book which shows an overwhelming love for friendship, family and the local community. Not to mention, the romance is the book is a cute enemies to lover trope that you're just waiting to happen!

I loved this book. It was such a good read with fab characters. I really liked the family and friends aspect of this book. It was nice to see Alice’s relationship with her mum and that they got on so well, and that both MCs came from loving families.

The romance felt real and I really liked that they grew into the relationship rather than it being insta love.

This book gave a whole range of emotions from anger to how Alice’s ex treated her, to all the feels when she and Luke got together, and then the comedy that was provided by Joanie.

5 star read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rebecca Ryan for the ARC

I have been eagerly awaiting Rebecca Ryan's second book, as I loved My Extra (Ordinary) Life, and The Philosophy of Love did not disappoint. With her trademark wry humour, this smart, sparky story kept me reading - and laughing out loud. As Alice works her way from jilted and bruised (all the boos for her ex, Charles) to strong and independent, she makes firm friendships and forges a place at the heart of her community.
I could picture Alice’s haphazard stints as a waitress and loved accompanying her on her outings as she finds her new identity, from hair dye disasters to bingo nights and the high glamour of a toddler play centre – not to mention a few truly bad first dates. Rebecca Ryan writes with heart, wit and a good dash of northern soul and, although you might have an inkling of how her broken heart gets mended, this story sweeps you along to its conclusion and doesn’t shy away from serious issues of emotional abuse and gaslighting. Touching and true, this is a warm hug of a book.

Alice retreats to her parents' following the breakdown in her relationship with her partnern of 10 years who just so happens to also be her boss. Whilst back in her home town she reconnects with Luke, whom she won a joint award with just before leaving school. Luke is all about the science and she is a keen philosopher so they embark on a bet about falling in love. She establishes some interesting connections in her attempts to prove Luke wrong. Humorously written with some great characters, namely Auntie M and Joanie. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Ryan's first book and was excited to receive a copy of the philosophy of love. It doesn't disappoint. Her narrative style is so engaging and funny and warm. You are rooting for Alice from the outset. Her return home after a failed relationship is full of humour while touching on important issues around community, abuse and female empowerment. Her journey of self discovery through her burgeoning relationship with Luke is endearing and charming while also looking at the meaning of love and how and where we find it. That extends to her new and rekindled friendships and relationship with her parents. It's a charming, humorous book that had me laughing out loud but also got me thinking. Highly recommend

*Disclaimer: I was kindly provided with an advanced copy of this book by Netgalley.*

The Philosophy of Love is a cozy, heart-felt romance about what love and a healthy relationship with yourself and your partner is supposed to look like. Alice was recently left by her boyfriend of 10 years after she caught him cheating on her. She ends up moving back from London into her small home town. She makes a bet with Luke, who she knew in school and who is now a biologist. As part of the bet, Alice starts going on dates again and in the process makes many discoveries about relationships and reassesses her past relationship. And she also gets to hang out a lot with the cute, intelligent and caring Luke.

I enjoyed the book. Even though some potentially triggering topics relating to abusive relationships are brought up, the overall mood remains on the fluffy side. It’s beautiful to read about how Alice rediscovers and learns to love herself throughout this book. In that way, this is an inspiring story. The side characters of Alice’s family and her new friend Joanie are very lovable and will capture anyone’s heart immediately. At times, the writing and story felt a bit simple and the character’s a little immature for my personal taste. However, this does not take away from the overall enjoyment of the book and I can see this being among many people‘s favourite romances.

(3.5-3.75 stars) review will be shared on amazon after book release

This book is a captivating journey through the depths of imagination. Its rich storytelling and well-developed characters kept me engaged from start to finish. With its thought-provoking themes, it transcends genres and offers something for every reader. A must-read for anyone seeking a literary adventure.

I loved the Philosophy I loved both Alice and Luke’s take on love and how it can be achieved and acquire. Alice is more on the natural organic side of things and Luke on the technical. I was so curious to see when they venture back in to the dating world who is going to win the best Alice or Luke. What a great premise and such a fun read to follow along too! I highly enjoyed it! Loved the characters; story, and outcome! Perfect if you looking for a nice light read to get lost in

LOVED this book. I always prefer books that stay firmly within one protagonist's POV, switching POVs is usually quite jarring for me, and this massively benefitted from it as Alice's internal world is a great place to explore. She was funny and awkward and thoughtful and I loved her hilarious shenanigans. I felt it could have benefitted with more time spent with Luke as the chemistry buildup does feel a bit sudden, but I did also love how much time was spent filling out Alice's social geography - too many romance books restrict the protagonists to interacting only with each other and don't give them any other settings, and this was a lovely change from that as Alice makes friends and goes on dates with ridiculous men and starts to put herself back together. A great Northern comedy.

I loved this. Ryan's writing is great. I really enjoy the stream of consiousness from her protagonists, often very funny, and the kind of breathless feeling of being in someone else's head, this works so well. I also love how her books are so thoughtful, in a deceptive sort of way. It could just be fun - and it is fun - but there's a lot more going on.

Alice is back at home in her teenage bedroom after breaking up with long-term boyfriend (and arsehole) Charles. She has no job and no friends and she feels as though she has no prospects. But gradually she begins to piece things together. Running into Luke, someone she last saw at school, results in a slightly combatative cup of coffee and a bet concerning the biological and philosophical realities of love. As she fumbles her way through her horrible new job and a string of moderately disastrous dates you're rooting for Alice - and as invested in the future of the local community centre, and her new friend Joanie's opportunities to make something more of her own life, as she is.

I read this in one greedy gulp because I couldn't stop myself. It's written with such a buzzy joie de vivre - even when Alice feels terrible - which she frequently does and who can blame her - she still fizzes with personality.