Really disappointed. I had high hopes but I really didn’t enjoy the story or the characters. Too much of everything and at the same time not enough of stuff. DNF at 80%

✔️forced proximity
✔️workplace romance
✔️ enemies to lovers
✔️ family drama

3.75

This is not your typical rom-com. I was sort of expecting a fluffy, cute romcom but found this heart-clenching, emotional, and even sad at times but sweet love story.

Helen and Grant got my attention rather quickly. Their story seemed so intriguing that I was excited to see where it would lead. I loved reading how they fell in love and opened up to each other. Also, it was so fun to read about screenwriting and book adaptations!

There was beautiful character growth, and the love was so raw and honest that it made my heart clench more times than I can count. Helen's emotional journey was one that, as a reader, you not only witnessed but also experienced. I truly felt her anger, grief, loneliness, happiness and love. The ending brought me to tears, and I didn't expect that at all!

The second half of the book got a bit repetitive, and the story dragged on because of that. As much as I liked Helen, she exasperated me a lot at times, especially in the second half of the book. Also, I loved the fact that she made true friends, but I feel like those friendships lacked depth. I didn't feel how close she had become with Nicole and Saskia as it was described.

Despite that, it was a beautiful and poignant story about love, not only romantic love but sisterly. Those letters to her sister made me ugly cry. I know many people will love this book. After reading Yulin I'm even more excited to watch Emily Henry's adaptations.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The way this book had me giggling and swooning one minute and holding back tears the next.. I don’t even know what to say, but I devoured this one!
I hold so much love for both Helen and Grant and I just wanted to hug them both.
I felt the chemistry between them from page one! Their relationship though not perfect really made me feel all the feels, and the way these two poor souls helped heal each other - absolutely stunning!

How to End a Love Story is definitely the kind of book you take to the beach/holiday as your read. It has excellent pacing and twist and turns as the female lead navigates the stages of grief through the loss of her sister and the slow burn of nemesis's to forbidden love between the female and male lead. Messy and complex (like real life) this book is a love story of two people who are inexplicitly broken, by the death of the female leads sister (blaming themselves for a death that isn't either to blame) and see themselves incapable and unworthy of love they both desperately crave. Kuang in my opinion does a excellent job of highlighting that life is about living for yourself and that happiness rarely comes for those who place pressure on overbearing expectations.

Thank you Netgalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC, it's definitely a book I plan to revisit and buy my own copy in the near future :)

Helen, a writer with imposter syndrome rekindles with Grant, a screenwriter, that she has a sordid history with.

This book is an absolute rollercoaster of emotion and there's just so much representation of mental health that its just such a raw narrative. The characters are incredibly relatable and the chemistry between them is just insane.

This is exactly what you want from a romcom.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc

I have mixed feelings about this book. The plot is good, but the story dragged in the middle for me. I liked the last part of the book however.

Helen Zhang is a writer whose YA book is being turned into a TV series. The head writer is Grant Shepard, and he and Helen have a difficult history. When they were teenagers, Helen’s sister deliberately ran into traffic to take her own life, and it was Grant’s car that hit her. Helen’s parents call him a murderer and have never forgiven him.

To complicate matters, Helen and Grant are attracted to each other. They both know that the relationship can’t be anything long term, but continue on with it in spite of everything.

The backstory is so heavy, I’m not sure the characters could get past it especially when Helen’s parents are so triggered by the mere mention of Grant’s name. However, the writing is good and I’ll definitely read her next book. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Hodder & Staughton and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my

I really wanted to like this, but I’m just not sure it was for me. I think how they knew each other, and the barrier they had to overcome was just too deep, and I didn’t love her characterisation.

Helen is a successful young adult author whose trilogy is about to be turned into a TV series. She’s negotiated herself a place in the writers room, but it turns out that also in the room is Grant. Grant went to high school with Helen and they are bound together by a “tragic accident” - that’s the blurb’s choice of words, not mine. But as they work together, sparks start to fly between them and maybe they might be the key to each others future?

I wasn’t sure if Helen and Grant’s shared past was some thing that they would - or should- be able to get past, and I absolutely stand by that. If the event in their past was almost anything else, I think it would be ok, but this specific issue felt unfixable. Now that aside, it’s a great read - Grant is a charismatic leading man who stays charming without veering into insufferable. It’s also fun watching Helen find her feet in Los Angeles and build a life for herself. They are a good couple in every way, except for that one thing. And other people’s views on that may vary.

This is Yulin Kuang’s debut and there is lots about it that I did like, so I will be looking out for whatever she writes next, as well as those Emily Henry adaptations that she is working on.

Having not heard of this author before, I was intrigued and lucky to be given the opportunity to read this. Must admit, I was pleasantly surprised, so well written, enjoyed everything about it - the characters, the setting, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

This is not a bad book, but I honestly did not enjoy it. It made me tense and anxious, and not in a good way.

I loved the side characters and everything to do with their job, the writer's room interactions, the witty humour.

The initial sexual tension was weird, awkward and made me think the characters were much younger than their actual ages. I just didn't belive they had any emotional connection, it was purely physical. That aspect was hot though, top notch spice.

Bonding through their trauma made sense, but honestly Helen was so cruel so many times, to multiple people. There were multiple mentions of both Helen and Grant having seen a therapist or going to therapy, but it didn't seem like either of them got anything useful out of it.

I just wanted to tell Helen to grow up and never think about her again. I felt so sorry for Grant.

Idk, this just didn't work for me for some reason.

I think i was expecting a straight forward fluffy romantic story with this one and that is so not what I got. it's heartbreaking, heartwarming, funny, sad and just.....wow. I haven't been able to stop think Helen and Grant and their amazing story!

How to End a Love Story had an interesting title and likely I thought it had an interesting premise but sadly this book was not working out for me and I have to DNF it. Several things that I don't like: the writing format (not sure if this is just because of the e-ARC I'm reading but it wasn't pleasant) and also I wasn't enjoying the writing as well. I struggled to continue this book and when I found out that the author of this book (whom I knew because of an adaptation she is working on as of right now) shared a post that I do not agree with in October, it kind of fixed my decision of DNF-ing.

This is Yulin’s debut and it felt so original, I don’t think I’ve read anything like it before. I really enjoyed both characters - Helen and Grant. I loved the social anxiety representation and how it was portrayed. I liked how they grew closer through the pages and it felt like I was watching it unfold in front of my eyes because the writing just transported you there. I loved that both of them were flawed but didn’t shy away from it. They didn’t think that they deserved good things but I was rooting for them to heal and start living life fully because they did deserve it.

It was a very emotional read too. I could feel my heart squeezing at some parts. I also related to Helen so much with her internal monologues regarding her role as the elder daughter in an immigrant family, the responsibilities it comes with, the expectations, etc. It made me think about me and my own relationship with my family as the eldest daughter, and my dual identity as a Belgian-Moroccan woman…

I didn’t enjoy the romance as much as the rest of the book, I wasn’t head over heels over them. I just think that the beginning of their relationship arrived a little too soon in the story and kind of from nowhere? I was rooting for them individually more than for them as a couple… but they did have great chemistry so the angst was still good!

With that being said, I have to give Grant his flowers because he was a pretty perfect MMC, I don’t have any notes for him…

Thank you to Hodder Books for the arc via NetGalley!

as a teenager I discovered Yulin Kuang's short films on youtube and I have been impatientily awaiting this release since it was first announced, and im so pleased to say it really lived up to the hype!!! A gorgeous spicy romance that has such a rich plotline, I adored just how full the whole world around the protagonists felt.

Really looking forward to anything else Yulin cooks up!

This was a solid debut. I was excited to read this since she will be directing a Emily Henry book and wanted to get a tease of her style and this was such a good rom com.

First things first, I want to express my utter joy that she is adapting Emily Henry’s novels. Personally, I want her to write the screenplay of my life. I love romance books with a certain sadness/ emotional depth to them and this one didn’t disappoint.

Helen Zhang is a best selling YA author and her book is being made adapted into a TV series adaption. She moves to LA after earning herself a spot in the writers room alongside Grant Shepard, the last person she wants to see again. Helen shares a complex and emotionally charged past with Grant, following an event that took place when they were in high school. How is she expected to work alongside him ?

Personally , I loved how original and fresh this book read. It delves into the complexities of loss, love and acceptance. I was drawn to the vividly portrayed characters , each with their own unique struggles.

Helen is our little guarded , protective , comes across as cold but is actually very sensitive princess. She also struggles with social anxiety and it was relatable to read her inner monologue. Watching her explore her grief and her complicated relationship with her family was quite painful. Her struggles as a daughter of immigrants and the challenges that come with language barriers.

Grant Shephard , on the other hand is a golden retriever who knows how to work a room, friendly ,charming, wears his heart on a sleeve. In contrast to Helen , he is vulnerable and expresses his feelings with no fear. But Grant has his nightmares and is not as bubbly as he might seem on the outside.

In one word, this book was pleasantly sexy. Like, this is romance. Yulin Kuang , please write something again. The angst was angst-ing. Personally, I would like to watch this come to screen. The chemistry was undeniable and I was giggling and kicking my feet when the romance kicked in. I liked the pace and length , I was worried that the book was a bit long but it needed to follow such a timeline to see it come together. I’m pretty sure I would have complained that it was insta romance if it wasn’t as long. I wouldn’t change a thing eventually, it was perfect.

I really loved how it explored the profound impact of grief and suicide. The anguish of final hurtful words, ultimately exploring the journey towards acceptance. This romcom breaks away from the usual predictability, offering surprising twists and revelations that pleasantly catch the reader off guard. It was fun getting to learn how the process of screenwriting works.

What a beautiful novel. Will definitely be looking forward to more from this author. I definitely recommend adding this to your tbr. Perfect for Emily Henry and Elissa Sussman lovers , especially if you liked the Hollywood atmosphere of Funny you should ask.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

Being Emily Henry's screenwriter on one adaptation project and director for another has propelled Yulin Kuang's debut romance into the spotlight. Additional push has been given by some big-hitting authors blurbing it, so the book was bound to get attention. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get on board the Hype Train.

The fact that I put this book down literally in the middle of the scene when the main characters first actually have sex (after some admittedly hot encounters that amped the temperature) is testament to how much I did not care about them or their love story. I have DNFed at 62%, much, much later than I normally would for an ARC and this was mainly due to me wanting to give it a fair shot.

Our female main character Helen is a prickly customer. I think in trying to make her so very Not Like Other Girls the author has leaned a little too far on the negative emotions and actions side of things and though I want to like Helen I just can't. Yes she's been through some shit (the death of her teenage sister by suicide AT THE HANDS OF THE MMC in a vehicular accident is the lynchpin of her relationship with the MMC) but at best she's a loner with a gift for writing, at worst a fairly bland and irksome woman lacking in personality.
Grant the love interest somehow manages to be the most beige romance hero I've read in a while - even while being hellishly attractive, charismatic, extremely capable and having a tragic backstory. I just wasn't interested in him, and something was missing that would have made me more interested in them as a couple once they clashed then came together.

I can't quite put my finger on what I didn't love here except that the story initially hooked me with its premise of being set in a writer's room and the MC's antagonism towards each other, but failed to keep me interested as things progressed. I put the book down one afternoon to pick up another one and realised after a few days I have no desire to see where the story went or how it ended.

Overall, it was just really mid for me.

An emotional read, but well written. I liked how it was told from both points of view and was rooting for them to end up together.

Reading this was so much fun! I loved the setting and how the story unfolds. The fact, that it’s written in dual POV made me even more invested and I was hooked almost immediately. I did enjoy the first half a little more than the second one, because I didn’t expect this book to be so smutty and felt like it got a bit repetitive since there where a couple chapters back to back where nothing happened but the characters hooking up. The smut itself was good tho, it had me giggling 🤭. Grant is truly a book boyfriend and he was so down Bad, I was here for it. All in all, this was a great romance book and I am so open to reading future books by Yulin Kuang! I also learned that she is working on two Emily Henry adaptations and now think that they are definitely in good hands!!

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧...
forbidden love
forced proximity
found family
grief & trauma

𝙢𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ★★★★.✫

𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨...
Thirteen years ago, Helen's younger sister committed suicide by jumping in front of Grant’s moving car. Now, Grant has been hired as a screenwriter to adapt Helen's bestselling novel for the big screen, and the two must work together.

𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨...
I loved Yulin's debut novel 🥹 As you might expect from the person screenwriting an EH adaptation, this isn't a sunshine & rainbows story - it hits very hard, but Yulin's beautiful voice really shines through. There is a mix of angst & heartbreak, but also such a tender romance 🥲🫶🏼

Helen & Grant are complete opposites - with Helen being a slightly closed off & prickly introvert, and Grant a sociable, people-pleasing, golden retriever. They worked so well together though - and the spice was 🥵 I did feel for Grant at times though - he wears his heart on his sleeve, and sometimes Helen just stomps on it 🫠 (the result of her own insecurities... but I just wanted to give Grant a hug!)

I loved the found family aspect of the writers' room - and also knowing this is the world Yulin belongs to made it feel so real! Seeing Helen finally open up, and find real friends in her colleagues made me so happy 🥹

This is told in 3rd person throughout, and it jumps between Helen & Grant's PoV constantly. I loved the window into what each of them was thinking - however I do feel like the 3rd person narrative kept me at arm's length from the characters - and perhaps was the reason I didn't connect with them as much (no tears! 😱) and ultimately this didn't quite reach the full 5★s for me.

“𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀.”