REVIEW: A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James

In A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James, Emily Evans figured that by the age of twenty-seven she would have her dream job (she’s still figuring out what that is) and she’d be living in some exciting metropolitan-type locale (not a tiny town on Prince Edward Island). But she has a roof over her head. She has a receptionist job at a local car repair shop. And Emily has a fun and brain boosting hobby: Wordle. Her winning streak is up to just over three-hundred-days with a goal of a full year, which she intends to accomplish. It’s when she’s in danger of not completing one of the daily puzzles in time that Emily unexpectedly gets an assist from her often-grumpy coworker, John. A man who typically uses monosyllables to answer any question thrown at him.

‘I stare at him again, my brain glitching like it did last night. Not only does John do Wordle, he does it on hard mode? Nope. Does not compute.’

To say that Emily is shocked and delighted to have a new Wordle buddy is an understatement. And as she ever so slowly gets to know John a little better, she’s even more surprised to find out he’s not only a sexy talented mechanic but has ambitions and dreams of his own yet to achieve. As their relationship changes into something of a romantic nature, Emily is still wondering if there is more than being a receptionist out there for her. It might seem silly to some for her to take a chance when she’s just now settling comfortably into life in Waldon. But is there more she’s supposed to do with her life? And if so, will John want to be a part of that future, too?

‘I don’t want wealth and status, I want happiness and purpose.’

A sweet and quirky heroine made Amy James’ debut romance, A FIVE-LETTER WORD FOR LOVE, a pleasure to read–as did the delightful cast of found family and the gorgeous Prince Edward Island setting.

‘It’s my job to build a life that makes me happy. So can I do that in Waldon, or not?’

There were a whole lot of laughs, smiles, and satisfied sighs happening as I flew through A FIVE-LETTER WORD FOR LOVE. Even if you’re not a fan of the game, I think the whole premise of how Emily began to finally understand and eventually fall for her coworker John over their daily Wordle habit will still work for most readers. I had to chuckle with Emily’s serious-but-not-serious joking about the answers linking to her real life after some of the words seemed to predict what would happen next. But Amy James had a great idea to bring Emily and John together. And it seemed both relatable and realistic for coworkers to bond over something like a game, finding that common ground so they could open up and get to know each other.

Now, I’m sure Emily and John probably won’t win everyone over. Emily could be a bit wishy-washy when it came to her future as she searched for her ‘dream job’, which really felt like she feared missing out on every single thing she might potentially like to do. And John was a gruff & grumbly car mechanic, a man of few words, who did end up having more depth than I thought at first. But I did enjoy them both. And John and Emily made an opposites-attract pair that worked, as she made him laugh with her silly chatter and he looked out for her at every turn.

Then there was the sentimental aspect. I just adored the friendships Emily made with local elderly neighbors in her teeny town of Waldon. She became a caregiver of sorts for them, assisting with household chores and errands, but it was the conversations they shared that will warm your heart. Emily brought some light into their rather lonely lives along with the care she provided. And the way everything came to a close at the story’s end will be sure to have readers misty-eyed but ultimately happy.

QOTD: A local barrel-making museum played a big role in Emily’s life. Have you been to any offbeat or unusual museums you enjoyed?
 

Book Info:

Publication: Published: December 3rd, 2024 | Avon |

A heartwarming and humorous romance in which an unlikely couple fall in love over Wordle.

Twenty-seven-year-old Emily doesn’t have a lot going well in her life right now. She dreams of a creative career but works as a receptionist in an auto shop. She longs for big city life but lives in a small town on Prince Edward Island. She craves a close group of friends but is stuck with irritating, car-obsessed coworkers.

What Emily does have is a 300+ day streak on the New York Times Wordle. But one day, with only one guess left and no clue what the answer is, she’s forced to turn to one of her irritating, car-obsessed coworkers, John, for help—and in doing so, realizes that he might not be so irritating after all.

As they make their way, word by word, toward a 365-day streak, Emily is drawn into a surprising romance that will take her outside of her comfort zone—and challenge everything she thought she knew about happiness, success, and love.