Somehow sad, bruising and glorious at the same time. The book really flows us through the pain and loss that a death of a sister, loved one and daughter can bring, juxtaposed with the guilt and weight that crashing into someone can bring. As romance, filtered through cross words and sarcasm, takes hold, the impact this has on the wider family is explored - those not in the dream who remain bereft and hurt. This is a clever juggle of everyone’s emotions thundering along, all whilst a script needs writing.

I don't really know how to exactly rate this book because it was a up and down for me. At some points I thought it was a bit over dramatic and at others I was feeling deeply with the characters so it's really a in between read for me. It won't be my favorite but it's also not a bad book and I would recommend it if you like romance.

"How to End a Love Story" is a romance written by Yulin Kuang.

Helen Zhang is a bestselling author focused on her career. Famous for her series of young adult novels, she managed to get a coveted position in the writing room of their TV adaptation. On the surface, it's a golden moment for her! Too bad no one knows about the imposter syndrome she cleverly hides, or the writer's block that prevents her from writing anything else. Moving to Los Angeles for the task may be the fresh start she needs to get back on her feet. Or at least that's what she hopes, until she meets Grant Shepard. That same Grant Shepard originally from her hometown, who she has not seen in thirteen years, since the car accident that killed her sister. An accident in which he was driving the car that hit her. Helen has never forgiven him for what happened, even though her sister threw herself under the car, even though he could not avoid the impact. The idea of working alongside him is disconcerting, as well as painful. Grant, for his part, has done everything in his power to move on from the past, including building a life across the country. And although his panic attacks have never gone away, he is well liked around town as a screenwriter. Grant knows he shouldn't take the job on Helen's show, but it will open doors for developing his personal projects and he can't pass up the opportunity. And so they find themselves at the same table, in the same room, working on Helen's show, with Grant as second in command. The beginning is not the best, with Helen and Grant disagreeing on everything, but slowly, bit by bit, the two begin to grow closer and the sparks of attraction ignite.

This book was a roller coaster of emotions! At times light and funny, at others intense and touching, it made me laugh and cry repeatedly (when I didn't laugh and cry together)! It is a novel that speaks of grief, sorrow, and despair, showing the effects that the death of a loved person leaves on their family, friends, acquaintances and those around them. It is a story that speaks of suicide, of trying to understand, of the need to search for a why to this gesture. It is a story about remorse, recrimination and guilt. It is a story of two broken people who try to make their way through a sea of pain without drowning. But at the same time it is also a hilarious story, made up of joking and funny moments, that speaks of hope, forgiveness and self-acceptance. I was impressed by the author's ability to move from decidedly funny situations to truly sad ones, maintaining an overall lightness, a bubbly rhythm, that does not weigh down the text. And then do we want to talk about the spicy?! Seriously, I didn't expect that! Or rather, yes, I was expecting something, but not some steamy swooning scenes! My hormones did somersaults geed whiz!

I admit that the element I liked least, for my personal taste, was the narrative choice. In fact, the book is written in the third person, and I am not a fan of romance written in the third person. I do not know why, but only in romance, the use of the third person causes me a sort of detached feeling, making it difficult for me to bond with the story and the characters. However, in the case of "How to End a Love Story," I found everything else so interesting that I was able to overcome, at least in part, my difficulties and get involved in the events.

Helen and Grant, protagonists with their respective third person povs, won me over. They are two troubled, complex and fragile people who hide their pain behind raised walls or easy smiles. They both feel themselves inadequate and worthless, unworthy of receiving any comfort or support. And so they prefer to be alone, persuading themselves that it is better that way. Little by little this view, over the course of the book, changes and they begin to open up to each other and to others, following a truly wonderful healing path. The development of their relationship is fantastic, with funny and emotional interactions, full of moments when I giggled and others when I ached and sobbed. Helen and Grant have a complicated situation, with Helen initially loathe Grant and then struggling to let go, to totally open up to him. In addition, I loved their sizzling chemistry and the tasty, well-described, and swoon-worthy spicy!

All in all, it is a fun and intense romance that I deeply adored!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.