How to End a Love Story is the debut novel by screenwriter and director Yulin Kuang.
It follows Helen Zhang, a bestselling author grappling with writer’s block and imposter syndrome, as she reluctantly reconnects with Grant Shepard, the man tied to a tragedy that changed both their lives over a decade ago.
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Book Blurb
Helen Zhang hasn’t seen Grant Shepard once in the thirteen years sincethe tragic accident that bound their lives together forever.
Now a bestselling author, Helen pours everything into her career. She’s even scored a coveted spot in the writers’ room of the TV adaptation of her popular young adult novels, and if she can hide her imposter syndrome and overcome her writer’s block, surely the rest of her life will fall into place too. LA is the fresh start she needs. After all, no one knows her there. Except…
Grant has done everything in his power to move on from the past, including building a life across the country. And while the panic attacks have never quite gone away, he’s well liked around town as a screenwriter. He knows he shouldn’t have taken the job on Helen’s show, but it will open doors to developing his own projects that he just can’t pass up.
Grant’s exactly as Helen remembers him—charming, funny, popular, and lovable in ways that she’s never been. And Helen’s exactly as Grant remembers too—brilliant, beautiful, closed off. But working together is messy, and electrifying, and Helen’s parents, who have never forgiven Grant, have no idea he’s in the picture at all.
When secrets come to light, they must reckon with the fact that theirs was never meant to be any kind of love story. And yet… the key to making peace with their past—and themselves—might just lie in holding on to each other in the present.
How to End a Love Story Book Review
How to End a Love Story had so much hype surrounding it as it was chosen as a Reese’s Book Club pick and listed as a Most Anticipated Book of 2024 by Entertainment Weekly, Today.com, and Daily Waffle.
I didn’t know much about Yulin Kuang, other than as a screenwriter, she’s set to adapt two of Emily Henry’s novels for 20th Century Studios. I love Emily Henry so I was intrigued to pick this one up.
Unfortunately I found How to End a Love Story to be quite underwhelming. The premise had a lot of promise: two people forever tied by a tragedy come face-to-face after years apart, both dealing with unresolved feelings and traumas. But rather than exploring those layers, it felt like the story focused too heavily on miscommunication.
One big issue I had was how the blame was placed on Grant. Without giving too much away, I didn’t understand why Helen and her family seemed to treat him as if he were somehow at fault for the tragic accident that bound their lives. Grant did nothing wrong, and to me, he came across as deeply sympathetic, clearly still haunted by what happened. While it makes sense that Helen and her family would be affected by his presence, the level of blame directed at him felt melodramatic and unfair.
There are things to enjoy about the book such as the snappy dialogue and the undeniable chemistry between Helen and Grant, but it often felt more like a series of sex scenes than a genuine attempt to unpack their complex relationship.
Overall, I felt it fell short of what it could have been. Instead of delivering a truly moving story about healing and forgiveness, it ended up feeling over-dramatic.
What to read next
If you’re looking for a romance read with depth, I’d recommend Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. It was also selected as a Reese’s Book Pick and I really enjoyed it.