What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Is a Four Letter Word
Sex. Yes. She remembered that.
Wasn't that the thing that happened somewhere between the talking-and-going-out-to-dinner bit and the sobbing-and-eating-too-many-biscuits bit? Still, Bella was sure she could handle some -preferably before her as yet unopened packet of condoms reached their expiry date. She must be practically a virgin again by now, all sealed over like pierced ears if you don't wear earrings for too long.
But the 'L' word? Uh-huh. No way. She never wanted to hear it again. There were things in her past which needed to be put well away, like the 27 boxes of clutter she'd brought from her old flat. And having changed her job, her town, her entire life - the one thing she wasn't about to change was her mind.
Wasn't that the thing that happened somewhere between the talking-and-going-out-to-dinner bit and the sobbing-and-eating-too-many-biscuits bit? Still, Bella was sure she could handle some -preferably before her as yet unopened packet of condoms reached their expiry date. She must be practically a virgin again by now, all sealed over like pierced ears if you don't wear earrings for too long.
But the 'L' word? Uh-huh. No way. She never wanted to hear it again. There were things in her past which needed to be put well away, like the 27 boxes of clutter she'd brought from her old flat. And having changed her job, her town, her entire life - the one thing she wasn't about to change was her mind.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
62 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Claire Calman
16 books27 followersClaire Calman was born 1969, the daughter of Pat McNeill, a magazine designer, and Mel Calman, a cartoonist. Before writing fiction, Claire spent several years working in women's magazines, then in book publishing, editing gardening books. She is also a poet and broadcaster and has performed her pithy verse at live readings and on radio many times, including for BBC Radio Four's Woman's Hour, Loose Ends, the comedy series Five Squeezy Pieces and for LBC. Her short stories have appeared in numerous magazines as well as in various anthologies, including Cheatin' Heart, the best-selling Girls' Night In, Summer Magic and A Day in the Life.
Claire lives in London with her husband, baby son, and an unbelievable amount of unfiled paperwork.
Claire lives in London with her husband, baby son, and an unbelievable amount of unfiled paperwork.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
February 4, 2022
This is a new to me author and since it's close to Valentine's Day I thought it would be a nice book to read. What I took away from this book is it's nothing remarkable!
A woman's boyfriend dies and she needs to change everything, her job, her location,basically her whole life. She's not changing one thing though, that's her mind about giving love another chance .
I felt like the book could have been shorter, it dragged in spots. There are too many sad bits and it drags the book down.
Pub Date: 24 Sep 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
A woman's boyfriend dies and she needs to change everything, her job, her location,basically her whole life. She's not changing one thing though, that's her mind about giving love another chance .
I felt like the book could have been shorter, it dragged in spots. There are too many sad bits and it drags the book down.
Pub Date: 24 Sep 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
December 2, 2019
English
I decided to venture with this book in English and, fortunately, it went quite well.
It is a very beautiful love story and a pretty entertaining book. While nothing special stands out about it, I enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun with this relationship. I was grateful to read a romantic story so healthy and mature, because in romantic literature there is a lot of toxic love, so it was a breath of fresh air to find such a story.
Español
Decidí aventurarme con este libro en inglés y, afortunadamente, me fue bastante bien.
Es una historia de amor muy bonita y un libro bastante entretenido. Si bien no se destaca nada en especial de él, lo he disfrutado. Me he divertido mucho con esta relación. Agradecí leer una historia romántica tan sana y madura, porque en la literatura romántica abunda mucho el amor tóxico, así que fue un soplo de aire fresco encontrar una historia así.
I decided to venture with this book in English and, fortunately, it went quite well.
It is a very beautiful love story and a pretty entertaining book. While nothing special stands out about it, I enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun with this relationship. I was grateful to read a romantic story so healthy and mature, because in romantic literature there is a lot of toxic love, so it was a breath of fresh air to find such a story.
Español
Decidí aventurarme con este libro en inglés y, afortunadamente, me fue bastante bien.
Es una historia de amor muy bonita y un libro bastante entretenido. Si bien no se destaca nada en especial de él, lo he disfrutado. Me he divertido mucho con esta relación. Agradecí leer una historia romántica tan sana y madura, porque en la literatura romántica abunda mucho el amor tóxico, así que fue un soplo de aire fresco encontrar una historia así.
July 25, 2024
Not terribly interesting, but an easy, quick-paced read.
I found the character to be rather one-dimensional and I'm definitely not a fan of the 'woman needs a man to feel happy' trope, but then again, this book was released almost a quarter of a century ago. Utilizes familiar tropes and nothing is extremely out of proportion so it's a good holiday/summer read where you don't really want to think or burden yourself with difficult plotlines and morally-grey ethics. The main character, Bella, well - kind of a bitch. Just mean for no reason and severely emotionally constipated. But the flow was good, I definitely sometimes enjoy something that you can just breeze through.
I found the character to be rather one-dimensional and I'm definitely not a fan of the 'woman needs a man to feel happy' trope, but then again, this book was released almost a quarter of a century ago. Utilizes familiar tropes and nothing is extremely out of proportion so it's a good holiday/summer read where you don't really want to think or burden yourself with difficult plotlines and morally-grey ethics. The main character, Bella, well - kind of a bitch. Just mean for no reason and severely emotionally constipated. But the flow was good, I definitely sometimes enjoy something that you can just breeze through.
June 6, 2023
Suprimiría as interminables conversas ñoñas entre os protagonistas? SI
Non é o meu xénero favorito, pero esta novela é diferente a outras no exercicio introspectivo e no exemplo de superación dun trauma. Dun trauma de verdade, non unha ruptura amorosa común.
Aprobado
Non é o meu xénero favorito, pero esta novela é diferente a outras no exercicio introspectivo e no exemplo de superación dun trauma. Dun trauma de verdade, non unha ruptura amorosa común.
Aprobado
April 2, 2020
This is the book that made me a Claire Calman fan. It's not perfect but it's stayed with me for years, and I love it as much for its flaws as in spite of them.
There's a lot going on here: grief, memory, found family, a troubled mother-daughter relationship. Starting over and letting go. Bella is a complex heroine who's so stubborn and relatable I just don't know whether I want to give her a hug or shake some sense into her.
Calman switches to present tense to recount Bella's memories, which makes them feel intimate and immediate, the way a stray thought or a smell can put you right back into a moment in time. The whole book is written like that: moments in time stitched together, sometimes in scenes only a few lines long. It's like how you remember a really great holiday as a highlight reel, and automatically edit out the boring bits like the bum-numbingly long flight and the airport queues in favour of the funny little man at the cafe or the cat that used to sleep on your balcony chair. It's a fragmentary style rather than a flowing narrative, which won't suit every reader, but I felt it worked well with the theme of memory.
Sharp, funny, painfully raw in places and peopled with an acutely-observed cast of characters (even the dead one has, er, life), there's a lot to love here, and that's why I keep coming back to it.
There's a lot going on here: grief, memory, found family, a troubled mother-daughter relationship. Starting over and letting go. Bella is a complex heroine who's so stubborn and relatable I just don't know whether I want to give her a hug or shake some sense into her.
Calman switches to present tense to recount Bella's memories, which makes them feel intimate and immediate, the way a stray thought or a smell can put you right back into a moment in time. The whole book is written like that: moments in time stitched together, sometimes in scenes only a few lines long. It's like how you remember a really great holiday as a highlight reel, and automatically edit out the boring bits like the bum-numbingly long flight and the airport queues in favour of the funny little man at the cafe or the cat that used to sleep on your balcony chair. It's a fragmentary style rather than a flowing narrative, which won't suit every reader, but I felt it worked well with the theme of memory.
Sharp, funny, painfully raw in places and peopled with an acutely-observed cast of characters (even the dead one has, er, life), there's a lot to love here, and that's why I keep coming back to it.
December 9, 2023
Forgot to log this book but look me ages to read bc been so busy with exams. Decent read. It was romantic which I just love anyway but took a while to get into the good stuff. Not bad tho. Would recommend if you like easy reads.
April 6, 2019
Tutti hanno a che fare con la tragedia nelle loro vite. Dopo la morte del suo fidanzato, Bella inizia una nuova vita. Questo è quando incontra Will. Capisco che sia triste ma questo non significa che tu possa essere cattivo. Era molto egoista e spericolata. Will è adorabile e carino. È stato divertente ma questo libro non faceva per me.
Everyone deals with tragedy. After the death of her boyfriend, Bella starts a new life. This is where she meets sweet and adorable, Will. I understand her pain, but do not take your pain out on other people. Especially when you do not know them well enough. There were parts of this that were hilarious like when she says she is going to become a nun. I enjoyed those little moments but Bella's ego really made me dislike her and this book. I am glad I read this because I dipped my toes in a genre I avoid and reassured that I will stay away from chick-lit.
Everyone deals with tragedy. After the death of her boyfriend, Bella starts a new life. This is where she meets sweet and adorable, Will. I understand her pain, but do not take your pain out on other people. Especially when you do not know them well enough. There were parts of this that were hilarious like when she says she is going to become a nun. I enjoyed those little moments but Bella's ego really made me dislike her and this book. I am glad I read this because I dipped my toes in a genre I avoid and reassured that I will stay away from chick-lit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2010
This book is chic-lit. I don't often read chic-lit but this was actually quite a good read.
Bella is single and about to lose the plot when she decides to buy a house in a small town and reinvent her life. as they do in these kinds of books.
Inevitably her dislike for the idea of love is changed when she meets a fabulous man and the usual come here-go away stuff of this genre happens.
But in addition to that there are real women's issues discussed too. Bella has a difficult mother to deal with, a placatory father to support, a career decision to make and some mourning to do before she can truly be available to love and be loved. Thsi kind of real stuff for me lifted this book from chic-lit to what I like to call women-lit.
I must admit to tears in my eyes and a breathless anticipation as I waited for Bella to get 'there'.
An easy but still thought-provoking read.
Bella is single and about to lose the plot when she decides to buy a house in a small town and reinvent her life. as they do in these kinds of books.
Inevitably her dislike for the idea of love is changed when she meets a fabulous man and the usual come here-go away stuff of this genre happens.
But in addition to that there are real women's issues discussed too. Bella has a difficult mother to deal with, a placatory father to support, a career decision to make and some mourning to do before she can truly be available to love and be loved. Thsi kind of real stuff for me lifted this book from chic-lit to what I like to call women-lit.
I must admit to tears in my eyes and a breathless anticipation as I waited for Bella to get 'there'.
An easy but still thought-provoking read.
December 4, 2009
A real page turner, I prised my eyes open one night to finish it off as I couldn't wait to find out what would happen!
Bella, the main character of the book is so likeable, and you find yourself really caring about what happens to her.
There's a little twist in it part way through when you find out what really happened in Bella's past, brilliantly built in, as I certainly didn't see it coming!
I guarantee you'll want to read this book in one sitting when you start, so make some time, lol!
Bella, the main character of the book is so likeable, and you find yourself really caring about what happens to her.
There's a little twist in it part way through when you find out what really happened in Bella's past, brilliantly built in, as I certainly didn't see it coming!
I guarantee you'll want to read this book in one sitting when you start, so make some time, lol!
August 13, 2021
I adore how relatable this story is to real life. How hard love can be. How difficult it is around your parents sometimes. How real the death of a loved one is. I really felt that I was there with Bella, through every struggle and strife in her journey to find love, and become a famous artist.
September 4, 2020
This was boring and the protagonist was irritating. It's a nice fluff novel but there are better ones
September 14, 2021
Read this book over 19 years ago. Keep going back to it, because it makes me laugh when I am feeling down. Its not a laughing subject but it written with such good humour. I genuinely LOL.
May 15, 2023
A light (not to say unambitious) example of women's literature offering a predictable plot with an obvious happy ending. Great for readers who like simple love stories, or those who want to de-stress without thinking.
What have we got here? The main character is 33-year-old Bella, a woman whose main goal in life is to be in a relationship. What she worries about the most is perfectly shown by a question that appears in the book: “what if she never found another man, never mind Mr Perfect, just anyone at all?” When she finally finds love (and you know from the beginning the story will go like this), guess what happens — Bella can’t appreciate what fate gives her. The blame is on her past which still accompanies her: a heartbreaking story with a previous partner, who she is still thinking about, and a poor relationship with her mother, who doesn't accept the daughter.
There's actually not much happening here and some fragments, especially those describing Bella’s thoughts and love acts, are dragged mercilessly. For the first half of the book we struggle with the fact that Bella has no one, and for the second half, with her feeling that something is still wrong, even if she’s in a dream relationship.
I barely finished the book, tired of the obviousness of the story and the indecisiveness of the heroine's behavior. Anyway, I fully understand that this type of literature still has a huge fan base, after all for some reason the book was called a bestseller.
What have we got here? The main character is 33-year-old Bella, a woman whose main goal in life is to be in a relationship. What she worries about the most is perfectly shown by a question that appears in the book: “what if she never found another man, never mind Mr Perfect, just anyone at all?” When she finally finds love (and you know from the beginning the story will go like this), guess what happens — Bella can’t appreciate what fate gives her. The blame is on her past which still accompanies her: a heartbreaking story with a previous partner, who she is still thinking about, and a poor relationship with her mother, who doesn't accept the daughter.
There's actually not much happening here and some fragments, especially those describing Bella’s thoughts and love acts, are dragged mercilessly. For the first half of the book we struggle with the fact that Bella has no one, and for the second half, with her feeling that something is still wrong, even if she’s in a dream relationship.
I barely finished the book, tired of the obviousness of the story and the indecisiveness of the heroine's behavior. Anyway, I fully understand that this type of literature still has a huge fan base, after all for some reason the book was called a bestseller.
June 16, 2020
Il libro è ricco d'ironia , o meglio di quell'umorismo all'inglese che fa sorridere più che ridere, soprattutto nei dialoghi tra Will e Laura, o tra Laura e Viv e Nick.
Anche se viene presentato come un romanzo rosa pieno di ironia, credetemi non lo è , o meglio non c'è solo quello. Troverete il dolore per la perdita di una persona amata, l'elaborazione del lutto fino a cambiare il lavoro e la casa, e infine l'accettazione dell'amore , il buttarsi di nuovo nei sentimenti e nella vita pur sapendo che siamo fragili come vetro. Vi confesso che la prima parte del libro mi stava annoiando tanto poi non sono riuscita a staccarmi fino alla fine.
E' un bel libro, a tratti commovente, a tratti ironico, eppure sembra che manchi quel qualcosina in più per renderlo speciale...
Anche se viene presentato come un romanzo rosa pieno di ironia, credetemi non lo è , o meglio non c'è solo quello. Troverete il dolore per la perdita di una persona amata, l'elaborazione del lutto fino a cambiare il lavoro e la casa, e infine l'accettazione dell'amore , il buttarsi di nuovo nei sentimenti e nella vita pur sapendo che siamo fragili come vetro. Vi confesso che la prima parte del libro mi stava annoiando tanto poi non sono riuscita a staccarmi fino alla fine.
E' un bel libro, a tratti commovente, a tratti ironico, eppure sembra che manchi quel qualcosina in più per renderlo speciale...
October 30, 2024
The first half a 3 star, the second a 4 star. Sometimes stories do get better, you just have to hold on.
I really loved the second half of the book, once the romance really began, it was so witty and charming, I loved them both. I am glad I stuck with it because I was struggling to invest at the beginning.
I was a bit slow to catch on to the switches in time and whether we had moved on to a new scene, the same scene but later or a completely different time in her life. It's not my preference of writing and I could have enjoyed the story without the past scenes. It was a lovely story and the romance was so clever.
I really loved the second half of the book, once the romance really began, it was so witty and charming, I loved them both. I am glad I stuck with it because I was struggling to invest at the beginning.
I was a bit slow to catch on to the switches in time and whether we had moved on to a new scene, the same scene but later or a completely different time in her life. It's not my preference of writing and I could have enjoyed the story without the past scenes. It was a lovely story and the romance was so clever.
October 5, 2022
I bought Love is a Four Letter Word during a trip to London from the US around the time it first came out, and read the entire thing on the plane home. And, all these years later, it's still on my bedside table, where I will open it at random points and start reading again. I love this book dearly. So much of what Bella goes through hits home. Some of her problems are of her own making, but she learns how to stop feeling sorry for herself and get on with her life after a tragedy knocks her down.
I gave it 5 stars when I first read it, and it only gets better over time.
I gave it 5 stars when I first read it, and it only gets better over time.
August 2, 2018
Honestly, one of my new favourite books! I don't think this is given the credit it deserves! I love how the chapters aren't too long and I'd end up reading 8 chapters a night! I didn't want to put it down😭 so sad when i finished it i wish there was a series to follow Bella's life with 'the people around her' lets say! Loved it soooo much! If you love funny completely relatable romance you'll love this! Genuinely had me laughing out loud. Thank you Claire Calman! xxx
February 6, 2021
Bella is in a rut with relationships, she hasn't met any guys lately and debates with herself about becoming a nun. She loves her dad and has a difficult relationship with her mother. She moves house and employs Will to design her garden. This book is a typical rom com/chick lit. Its an easy read with some funny moments and some sad bits. Received this book from Netgalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review
September 24, 2022
Beyond a chick read
I never write reviews. Just speed read my way through books and either make a yuck sound or if I'm too chicken to try something new. I'll re-read them. However this book is beyond any of the standard fare. Rich, layered, fascinating, sometimes uplifting, often troubling but always complex. Reminds me of eating maple sugar candy. Too rich to eat it all at once, but to slowly savor. Thank you, Claire Cadman, for this kaleidoscope of the senses.
I never write reviews. Just speed read my way through books and either make a yuck sound or if I'm too chicken to try something new. I'll re-read them. However this book is beyond any of the standard fare. Rich, layered, fascinating, sometimes uplifting, often troubling but always complex. Reminds me of eating maple sugar candy. Too rich to eat it all at once, but to slowly savor. Thank you, Claire Cadman, for this kaleidoscope of the senses.
May 14, 2025
"Typical chick lit"
This was between 2.5-3*. I did like the story and the relationship between the main character and Will, but I really didn't like the writing style.. instead of different scenes being split up by gaps between paragraphs, the whole book was just punctuated with these gaps, some paragraphs only being 2 sentences long. It really threw me off tbh. But a nice happy ending with a decent guy ☺️
This was between 2.5-3*. I did like the story and the relationship between the main character and Will, but I really didn't like the writing style.. instead of different scenes being split up by gaps between paragraphs, the whole book was just punctuated with these gaps, some paragraphs only being 2 sentences long. It really threw me off tbh. But a nice happy ending with a decent guy ☺️
April 15, 2019
Genuinely enjoyed this book, the character dialogue is very witty & had me laughing aloud in parts. I salvaged the book from a collection destined for the charity shop, largely because the authors names starting with the same letter earned me a reading challenge tick! I'm very pleased it turned out to be an enjoyable, funny, and sexy at times story.
January 19, 2020
Alle prime pagine sembrava un romanzetto d'amore frivolo e leggero, negli ultimi capitoli ho pianto come una fontana. Non ho ancora ben capito che cosa mi sia successo nel mentre, ma è stato emozionante.
April 29, 2020
I loved this book, a new author for me. I started it thinking, she’s trying too hard, by the end of the book I felt it was a book that will stay with me for a long time. I can wait to read the rest of her books.
January 30, 2023
Lovely
I am so enthralled with Claire Calman’s writing. I feel part of the story. I can’t find the words to encourage the reading of this wonderful book. I laughed,I cried, I cheered …. Can not wait to read more.
I am so enthralled with Claire Calman’s writing. I feel part of the story. I can’t find the words to encourage the reading of this wonderful book. I laughed,I cried, I cheered …. Can not wait to read more.
March 22, 2019
Didn't grab me at first but had me engrossed by the end.
September 7, 2020
Enjoyed, light read, happy ending
March 3, 2021
Not a fan couldn’t get through the first chapter.
DNF
**********I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.************************
DNF
**********I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.************************
Read
February 7, 2022This was such a British book, it made me realise how many US books I've been reading.
August 23, 2022
I love reading books by Claire Calman. The characters are so real, I always find myself introspecting and driving into my own thoughts and motivations.
Very beautifully written and good reads!
Very beautifully written and good reads!
November 12, 2023
Part of a trilogy. Enjoyed it a lot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews