I really enjoyed How to End a Love Story, it kept me hooked, I liked the characters and the interactions between them.

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this arc! 4 stars ⭐

Sadly my copy had format issues - the beginning 3 or 4 words were missing from the start of chapters and the letters 'fi' were missing throughout the entire book, so I had to really pay attention when reading a sentence with the words finally (nally) first (rst) etc. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It gave me Emily Henry vibes, so I wasn't surprised to see her mentioned in the acknowledgments!

I loved the dual POV - normally when the author switches mid-chapter it can be a bit jarring, but it worked well and it felt seamless.

The tension in this book was delicious! It wasn't a super slow burn but it was enough to build the tension to a breaking point and I loved every second of it!

Mental health and grief were discussed in such a real and sensitive way. I thought the way Grant was treated when he suffered a panic attack was so wonderful, and it made me tear up a bit.

I was a bit worried towards the end that there wouldn't be a happy ending, but thankfully Yulin Kuang pulled through for me!

For a debut book, Yulin Kuang did a fantastic job and I look forward to seeing more from her in the future!

2.5★


tropes: forbidden love, forced proximity, office romance, found family, enemies to lovers (but not really), second chance romance (but again, not really)

trigger warnings: suicide, substance abuse, panic attacks, grief, death of a sibling and a car accident


a romance between grant shepherd, a screenwriter, and helen zhang, an author. the only problem? 13 years ago, helen's sister committed suicide by throwing herself in front of grant's car. now, the two have to work together to bring helen's popular book series to life.


whilst there were many things that i particularly disliked about this book, i did enjoy the found family aspect during the writer's room. it didn't feel forced unlike the rest of the book and the moments between the characters were adorable.


however, i connected to neither of the mcs and i think this took me out of the story the most. helen was very boring and grant was just utterly pathetic. they both fell horny-over-heads into an insta-lust that they continuously denied and it was incredibly frustrating to read about.


there was a third act for no reason but for drama, which was then resolved in moments. THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS! first off, i don't like it. second off, i don't like it. and third off, i.don't.like.it. why create pointless pain? i'll be the first to say i love angst, but the third acts inserted into the story is plain annoying and predictable.


they were enemies for as long as they were broken up (not long at all) which was just stupid. we all love enemies to lovers so why deprive us of one of the greatest tropes?!


i didn't like some of the word choices, at one point, it is mentioned twice that he growls, why is this still a thing in 2024??? how does one physically growl? is this supposed to be attractive?? so many questions..


it was also really annoying me at how everything was described as 'naked' before they had sex the first time, although i guess that's one way to foreshadow. there was more smut than there was plot since they were having sex every other page. i hated how their relationship felt purely physical. there was very little talking about their mental health and their trauma, despite the mmc's panic attacks being mentioned in the blurb and i wish the stigma around mental health in the asian community was addressed.


i wish the story ended on a more meaningful note. it felt like this book was so much yet so little at the same time. for a book with such heavy themes, the happy ending felt too convenient, too forced. now don't get me wrong, i love happy endings but the happy ending we were given here did not fit the characters nor the angsty romance we were given.


the writing felt very stilted and detached (dual-pov in third person) and it did feel more like a screenplay: he said 'words'. she let out a weak 'ha'. they had sex. the end!). all in all, it was very underwhelming. this is an unpopular opinion, and i had very high expectations since she is the screenwriter of emily henry (one of my favourite authors) so please take my views with a grain of salt.


thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

A beautifully written love story that was tugging at my heartstrings and had tears pouring down my face by the end. A truly moving book that deserves all the best. Quite possibly my favourite romance of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝. 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫.

This reading was just wow.

Michelle, Helen's sister, throws herself in front of Grant Stephard's car and dies.

This is how it all begins.

13 years later, Helen is a bestselling author and Grant, a screenwriter. And 13 years after Michelle's death, they meet again.

I loved how this book tackled such heavy topics as suicide, grief, guilt, trauma, and healing.

Because this book is not only about a love story, but also about overcoming the death of a loved one, overcoming guilt when one is not really at fault.

So yes, the mix between romance and all these subjects was something quite good. Something I loved.

Basically, Helen and Grant become a thing.

"𝐘𝐞𝐬. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰."

It's an enemies to friends, to sexfriends, to maybe more, to nothing, to lovers thing.

And it was wonderful ? The way little by little they become friends, how they become intimates. I loved it.

Helen had to face a lot, the death of his sister, his imposter syndrome and in particular the pressure she could feel towards her parents. So her rapprochement with Grant felt wrong.

What was very touching was to see how Helen eventually managed to forgive her sister, accept her death and free herself from all that. It was just as touching to see how much Grant was affected by this event even 13 years later.

They both knew that their relationship was impossible due to this tragic event. They thought it wouldn't lead to anything good. And in the end, they had the right to their happy ending.

I had the opportunity to smile several times and this book made me feel several emotions. I really got involved in this reading. It wasn't really complicated, especially when from the start, the book makes us want to learn even more.

I loved more than anything the tension between them ? How they wanted each other.

He fell first and he fell harder.

"𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦," 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫.

"𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠?" 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐥𝐲.
𝐇𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠.
"𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬" 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, "𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞"

"𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮," 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.

𝐈'𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮, "𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮." 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬.

Grant simply needed Helen. And damn, how much I loved him.

Helen was like the voice of reason, the one who didn't give up because in the back of her mind she remembered reality. about who Grant was and what happened 13 years ago

But how can you resist Grant when he's handsome, funny and sexy? Fortunately, Helen couldn't resist.

"𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞?" 𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬, 𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫.
𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐝𝐬.
"𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤," 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐞. "𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞."

At one point, they were in their bubble. It's as if it was them against the world, as if there had never been an accident and as if Helen's parents could disapprove of this relationship. and how cute were they??? and omg, the way they seduce each other? I loved.

"𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧," 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬, 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲.
"𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮?" 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝.
"𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧."

"𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧," 𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬. "𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭. 𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧. 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐭."

"𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐨," 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐧 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡. "𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡, 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬."

"𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐝'𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧.
𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭—"

The ending was great.

I just wish the confrontation between Grant and Helen's parents had been a little longer. That more happens before the happy ending.

It would also have been good if the ending was a little longer, more detailed instead of having the right to several more or less short moments. an epilogue would have been perfect. But I imagine it in my head and it makes me happy.

Since it's a happy ending, and that's all I needed, that's all that matters.

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦, 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

Thank you Netgalley, Yulin Kuang and the publisher for this amazing reading.

Thank you for granting me early access to this ARC. I requested for this book without reading the synopsis, I was fascinated by the title and I'm blown away. This is one of my favourite reads of 2024 already. I love everything about this novel, this author has written about shared trauma in a way to speaks directly to me. I enjoy the way the longing and tension between the two leads is written, it's so well paced too. I'm actually in awe of the pacing. I want to put this book in the hands of all my friends and hold a private book club discussion about this book. Now, I have my eye on this author because I'm officially a fan. This is an exquisite novel!

You know when you read a romance novel and you’re constantly rolling your eyes at the issues standing between the main characters, or they have traits that are so infuriating because they make the same mistakes over and over? This book DOES NOT have that issue!! Yes, there are issues standing between them and yes, they have a lot to work through, but their issues are so real and complex that all I felt was heartbreak and sympathy! I love their love so much, and I love the journey they both go on to deal with their mental health, grief, trauma and guilt. There’s no easy solution to their situation and that’s life! This story is beautiful and it’s also funny and heartwarming in the midst of the tragedy! Not to mention the tension, it’s honestly unmatched.

Have you ever read a book and thought “I’d love to see this as a movie”? Well this story is made for screen, I can see it as a limited series and it would be incredible!! I can’t wait to read more from Yulin Kuang and I can’t wait to see what she does with her adaptations of Emily Henry’s novels!

Thank you to NetGalley and Yulin Kuang for this eARC!

I must admit, my expectations were very high for this book. I've been following Yulin online since her Kissing in the Rain days, and I was beyond excited to see that she was publishing a novel, and even more so when I got this e-ARC.
However, some elements of this book fell a bit flat for me. I loved the chemistry between Grant and Helen and really liked the basis of the plot, but something was missing. I believe I was missing some tension relief, more of a comedic hint from time to time. I think the writers room tried to be that, but it didn't quite manage to be present enough for it, and it was a shame. Honestly, I'm sure this is just a “first book” problem, things that you learn and tweak as you write more and more, and I did really enjoy the story overall.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and it did not disappoint! Helen and Grant have a shared trauma from their past, which makes it that much harder for them to accept their feelings when they reconnect as adults in LA. I love how the book is set in Hollywood, yet feels really grounded with fully fleshed out characters and back-stories. The angst and chemistry(!!) kept me hooked throughout, and the ending felt satisfying without being overly dramatic. Adore this book, and really looking forward to reading more from Yulin Kuang.

I do not have the words to describe how much I loved this book. The reason I requested a review copy was because I knew that Yulin Kuang was adapting Emily Henry's 'Beach Read'. Not I know that she's probably the best person to do it because she's a top-tier, insanely talented romance author in her own right.

'How to End a Love Story' has so much heart. The characters were endlessly complex, the plot progressed at the perfect pace and I really enjoyed the writing style. It was like Kuang had reached into my chest, put her fist around my heart and turned it into a bloody, sad mess.

The explorations of all these themes - grief, hope, the complexity of familial love, the burdens of being the oldest sister, vulnerability, the terror of falling headfirst in love, trauma, and so many more - were done with grace and care and compassion.

Moreover, as someone who works in post-production, I was obsessed with being able to read about the screenwriting process, which I know comes from Kuang's own experience in the industry. The writers room was such an amazing tool in the story to allow Helen to grow as a person and was a great backdrop for the beginning of her romantic relationship with Grant.

The tension between Helen and Grant built steadily and believably throughout the book. If this hadn't been done as well as it was, the entire romance would've crashed and burned but their shared traumatic past grew into something really beautiful. Romance-wise this included everything I love - that is to say. the fact that Grant was pining and distraught and absolutely head over heels for Helen the entire time was amazing.

I can't wait for this book to come out so I can be an absolute menace and make everyone I know read it.

A Beautiful story

Loved this book 📖 it's an enemies to friends to lover story and he falls first, I love how they have been connected from past to future, it deals with grief love friendship and culture, also overcoming long term grief without realising it was actually really there ❤️

It was beautifully written and I was hooked from beginning to end ❤️

Helen Zhang and Grant Shepherd have a difficult history, but when they come together in the present to work on adapting Helen's books, things are awkward. Can they set aside their differences and remain professional for the sake of their work?
I first learned about Yulin Kuang in 2022 when I heard she was planning to adapt a screenplay for an Emily Henry novel. I knew instantly I would enjoy Kuang’s debut, and to say that I did would be the biggest understatement.
Although the book is described as a romance and don’t get me wrong for the most part it is, it’s also a story centred heavily around grief (check the trigger warnings). Many parts of Helen’s description of grief resonated with me, particularly her experience going through her sister’s hard drive. Despite the sadness of these scenes, I found them so comforting to read.
Grant and Helen’s relationship was beautifully written and felt real and raw, which can only be attributed to Yulin’s incredible writing. This is a moving, poignant and emotional read, and such an extraordinary debut, I’m just so sad it’s over.

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc.

Before you read this book, make sure you read the TW. The book deals with quite heavy themes of grief and suicide for a contemporary romance. That being said, this is also what makes the book so unique. In parts, this book didn’t really feel like a romance at all but a literary exploration of the grief of a family after a child takes her own life, specifically in a Chinese family in the US, which adds complex layers of different expectations of family dynamics between parent and child. I think the book does this very well and I felt very moved by this part of the story and Helen’s writing about it. The writing style of the book itself is beautifully constructed and I also feel like I’ve learnt something about screen writing. Now, the romance itself is good, though I find it a bit lacking in the last 1/3. There it turns quite character-flaw, head against the wall heavy, which in the context of the book is extremely understandable but something that I don’t necessarily love. I don’t see this as an objective criticism of the book, it’s simply a personal reading preference. It did take me a bit to get on board with the chemistry between the characters which I guess was in part by design at the start but then the transition from oh okay this is not great and i’m uncomfortable to oh wow there’s sparks took me a bit longer than it was supposed to i think. Overall, a very good romance if you’re looking for something with more of an emotional and heavy plot.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

This read was beautifully written but I sadly didn’t feel connected to either character whatsoever. The premise was so unique and gut wrenching, but alas, it just didn’t work for me out of personal preference, I think. Neither Grant nor Helen really gripped me, especially since this was quite an emotionally driven read. I just found I didn’t care all that much about either of them, sadly.

But fans of Emily Henry would no doubt adore this book! It feels very similar to her own style and storytelling, and I’m excited to see what other books Kuang has in store in the future! This one just didn’t hit the mark for me but I have faith any future works will be something more to my tastes.

4.5 stars! I was lucky enough to receive an arc of How To End a Love Story, one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. For those not in the know, the author Yulin Kuang is a screenwriter and director currently working on adapting Emily Henry’s Beach Read. When I heard she was publishing her debut novel, of course it immediately shot to the top of my TBR.

We follow Helen Zhang, the eldest daughter of immigrant parents, who, after writing a popular series of YA novels, heads to LA to oversee and participate in their TV adaptation. To all the world, she seems celebrated and successful, at the top of her game. But Kuang allows us to get so immersed in Helen’s mind that soon, all her fame and success fade into the background and we are left with her rawest form alone; her lingering trauma, her deepest fears, her self-doubt and anxieties. She felt so palpably real, more so than in most romance books I’ve ever read, and this was what made How To End A Love Story so extraordinary.

Enter Grant Shepard, a universally popular writer, renowned for being ‘good in a room’. But, in a similar way to Helen, Kuang uses her skill as a writer to delve so much deeper into Grant’s character until the reader knows him on so much than the superficial level on which everyone else views him.

Set amid the backdrop of Hollywood, its machinations and its glittery, star-studded image, we follow the intertwining narrative of Helen and Grant, from an fatal accident that tied their lives together years ago to their present day journey of discovery and healing. It’s a love story, but it’s so much more (as my favourite romance novels are). I adored how Kuang woven together such complex emotions, such as grief and healing. It also deals with themes of familial expectations and maturing.

Overall, Kuang is such a talented writer that she grabs your heart from the first page, forcing you to care deeply about these, flawed, occasionally unlikeable characters, and doesn’t let go until the very last line.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! let me know if you’ll be reading How To End A Love Story when it releases April 9 <3

I must admit, I did shed a few tears during this book. It is funny, sexy, sad and it makes you angry in parts.

The characters are all so different but relatable.

How to End a Love Story will definitely go far.

This was a cute book though I couldn't connect with the characters or the story. I loved the storyline and the plot twists but overall, it wasn't a book I enjoyed that much. It is cute but couldn't connect with it and I was very upset about it.
I still recommend this book because I can recognize the potential of it. Besides, it's about a writer!!! Everyone wants to read about something related to books!

Up there with one of the best contemporary romance titles I've read so far for 2024, and will be my go-to rec when customers are asking for something a little more elevated in this genre. This author manages to carry a very heavy premise with a lot of lightness - I was apprehensive it would be a bit of a depressing read but I needn't have worried. Helen and Grant have a lovely dynamic and the story is a really mature and interesting take on 'enemies-to-lovers' - Helen has good reason to hate Grant and watching her feelings for him evolve made for a satisfying read. Getting into the writers' room was also a nice set piece in this story.

This is the only story I have read by Yulin Kuang but I think she may be one of my favourite romance authors. I wasn't sure how the story would play out because the barrier between the two protagonists is so big that it seemed like the only way to get over it was to dismiss/cheapen it. But Kuang handles it with earnestness and sensitivity that the end resolution seems possible. The story has the right balance of romance and life for me. I loved the both Helen and Grant as characters separately but the chemistry they had with each other was so good! I am very excited to see other people enjoy this book and for whatever Yulin Kuang comes out with next!

With lots of smut and emotional baggage, How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang is about two people with a complicated past meeting again thirteen years later for work and falling in love.

Summary: Thirteen years ago, Helen Zhang's sister died after running in front of Grant Shepard's car. She blames him, and her parents hate him. Now, the two meet again to work on adapting her novel. Although Helen initially refuses to get along with him, they form a truce.

Tropes/Genres:
• enemies to lovers
• complicated past
• forced proximity
• workplace romance
• second chance (kind of)
• set in Los Angeles, California

Review: This book is spicy, but there's too much smut. Way too much. After they got over the "enemies" part, they became super horny and were basically doing something sexual every single chapter. It was good at the start, but as it went on, it got annoying. The sex just lost its meaning – it just felt like a book of smut. And, in all honesty, apart from their shared trauma (AKA trauma bonding), that seems to be the only connection Helen and Grant have. They have sexual chemistry but not any other kind. I don't feel a romantic connection between them.

I was deciding between 3 and 4 stars, but I settled on 3 because the writing was just too choppy. The transition from "enemies" to "lovers" was just too quick, and I had to do a double-take when I saw that they were suddenly getting along. It was jarring. The smut makes up for it a little bit, but as it went on for too long, it got irritating.

Helen's character was annoying. I understand why she's the way she is, but she's annoying nonetheless and didn't exactly stop being annoying. There was hardly any character growth in the book apart from her standing up against her parents. It's nice, but it also felt like she was deflecting her responsibility for her own personality by blaming it all on her mother. She treated Grant like shit for most of the book apart from when they were doing the deed and trauma bonding. Like, she's super mean when she's upset. I rolled my eyes when she said she loved Grant because I didn't feel the love at all – I only felt lust. I think the part of her processing her sister's death is good, though. She grew in that aspect.

Grant was pathetic. I'm going to pull a line of his from the book:

"You could keep me your dirty little secret, come to me tasting like other men, I'd still take you back every fucking time. I'd rather have a fraction of you than all of someone else."

Yeah, bye. No thanks. Gross.

He took it back towards the end of the story and said that he wanted all of her, but the damage was done. I don't even understand how the author thought this was romantic when she wrote it. Up until that point, I kinda liked his character. But no thanks. I honestly think he deserves so much better than Helen.

Their relationship, overall, felt toxic. I think it's really nice to see how Helen grew with respect to her blame towards Grant for her sister's death. In fact, the only good parts of this book relate to either her sister's death or the adaptation of her novel. However, apart from the many sex they had and the way fewer nice non-sexual moments, there's nothing good about this pairing.

There were also parts of the story that irritated me, such as drugs and unprotected sex. Look, I have nothing against unprotected sex. Obviously, it's better to have protection, but it's fiction, so I give it some buffer space. But not when you're literally just doing a one-night stand, as it had been intended. The drugs part ("edibles") just came out of nowhere. I don't like how the author portrayed it. I get that recreational cannabis is normalised in America, but it just felt so unnecessary. Surely there are other ways to show Helen getting accepted into the team.

The third-act breakup was also stupid. So stupid. I'm okay with third-act breakups as long as they make sense, but this one just felt like the author's desperate attempt to have a third-act breakup for the sake of having one. BECAUSE DRAMA!!! Um. Yeah. No.

That's not to say that I hated this book. I acknowledge that there are parts that I enjoyed as well, such as the screenwriting process and how Helen slowly opened up to the team. The difference in opinions of the writer herself and the writing team for the adaptation is also interesting to see. Considering the author is adapting Emily Henry's book, she surely knows what she's writing about! So that's cool!

All in all, this book has some merits, but there are also a lot of issues. Overall, if the writing were a little smoother and the plot brushed up a bit, it would've been way better! I think readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers stories with a dash of a complicated past may enjoy this, though.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the read.