“How to Love” by Katie Cotugno was such a remarkable book. I’ve seen and heard of this book for a while now, and I finally decided to read it.
I don’t think I will ever be able to overstate how much I enjoyed this book.
With classes in full swing, I haven’t had a lot of time to read, but I started this book on my 20-hour road trip to Florida. Obviously, I had a few hours to spare and read during the drive.
On the road trip, I was tearing through this book and couldn't seem to read fast enough.
This book is about a girl named Reena and her young daughter, Hannah. About three years before the current time in the book, Reena’s boyfriend and father of her child, Sawyer, just up and leaves without telling a single person why. Now, in the current time, Sawyer has returned to town and wants to start a new life with Reena and his daughter. Reena has moved on with her life since her boyfriend left.
As the book progresses, you see Reena start to understand why Sawyer left and begin to realize that she may still have feelings for him.
The book goes back and forth between before and after Sawyer’s leave and his return. I liked the way it was structured because slowly, during the course of the book, it becomes clear to the reader why Sawyer left and the struggles Reena has in her own life.
Ultimately, the two characters fell out of love because they didn’t completely understand the other person. The book is about Reena and Sawyer and if they can make the relationship work again.
I loved this book because of how unusual it was. I’ve read roughly 300-to-400 books in my life, and I have never read a book with a plot line like this before. The plot seemed so real, and that’s why I fell so much in love with it.
This book really taught me that there is so much more to a person than meets the eye. I know that is an incredibly cliché statement, but this book encapsulates the saying.
Sawyer was a character that I absolutely loved. I’ve read a few reviews of this book, and it’s very clear that readers either hate him or love him. Lately, I’ve really loved male characters more than I ever have before. Sawyer reminded me a lot of Sutter from “The Spectacular Now.” Sawyer is kind of a bad boy, but he’s also just a really misunderstood bad boy, and I think that really makes a difference. I wanted to hate him because of what he did to Reena, but yet he is also so charming.
Reena is also such a lovable character because of all she has dealt with in her life so far. She is taking care of a young child while she is just a child herself. She’s going to college and working while also taking care of Hannah. She is such a respectable character. I felt so much for her because in the end I just wanted to see her happy. I know that sounds odd to say, but I was just that emotionally invested in the story.
I can’t say too much else without ruining the story, but I highly recommend this book. There is so much to learn from this book, and it definitely will not disappoint.
