Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “How to Love” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

How to Love

Katie Cotugno (Goodreads Author)

3.71 · Rating details · 16,813 ratings · 2,284 reviews

For fans of Sarah Dessen and John Green, this is a breathtaking debut about a couple who fall in love...twice.

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember. But he's never noticed that Reena even exists...until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. Then Sawyer disappears without a word, leaving a d ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 416 pages

Published March 24th 2015 by Balzer + Bray (first published October 1st 2013)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about How to Love, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

What are you reading? -- Reading Challenge 2018

283 books — 45 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.71 ·

Rating details

· 16,813 ratings · 2,284 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of How to Love

Sep 11, 2020 jessica rated it liked it · review of another edition

ohhhh this book has so much potential to be a real heartbreaker, but sadly, its just not quite up for the job.

its strength is not shying away from difficult topics that teens do have to deal with - pressure to go to college, pregnancy, drugs, underage drinking, peer pressure, etc. quite often YA stories feature picturesque teens as they are a little easier to read about, but this story is frustrating, messy, and real. and i think it could have had a great impact if there was more character deve ...more

flag 136 likes · Like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 Wendy Darling rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-publication, heroines-wimpy, read-2013, october, harpercollins, young-adult, realistic-fiction, huge-disappointments, boys-who-are-jerks, packaged-book

I think a large part of whether this book works for you may rely on whether you find Sawyer LeGrande charming. And I do not.

And while I'm prone to be pretty forgiving with girls who don't always make smart choices, I was constantly frustrated with Reena, too. Make him work for it, honey. And it is NOT OKAY to (repeatedly) act in a way that is hurtful to other people, particularly if you know what it's like to be hurt yourself.

I'm surprised at how negatively I feel about this one, given the sea ...more

flag 133 likes · Like · see review

Jun 01, 2016 Aj the Ravenous Reader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Aj the Ravenous Reader by: Marla Mei

Shelves: physically-owned-books, contemporary, unexpectedly-good, auto-buy-authors, reality-bites, young-adult

This book sucks big time! It made me say the words “dumb” and “stupid” in several places and several times. It made me shake my head so hard, it felt like it was going to come off. It broke my heart. It made me shed tears and in the end it made me grin-this goofy grin. And that’s why it sucks because it made me feel all these emotions I wasn’t planning on feeling and in my vocabulary, when a book does that to you, it’s definitely good!

I know you probably peg me for an angsty reader and you proba ...more

flag 96 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2014 Aimee ♥ | Aimee, Always rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: love-triangles, covergasm, eye-roll, unpopular-opinion, oh-the-fluff, romances-i-cant-understand, ending-sucked, no-chemistry, predictable

***Warning, this rant will contain spoilers for How to Love and some angry GIFs. A very incoherent rant will be coming your way.

This was me when I finally got to buy this book since there was a sale at our local bookstore:

But then, I realized something as the book went on. The title of this book--yeah, it doesn't work. At all. Instead of How to Love, I strongly believe this boos should be entitled How to Cheat and Be a Whiny Little Girl.

See, in both the "before" and "after" timelines, Reena ...more

flag 83 likes · Like · see review

Jun 02, 2013 Ashley rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: physical-arc, arc, bea13

Nose Graze — Young Adult book reviews

How to Love could have easily been a 4—or maybe even 5—star book, but there was one massive problem: Sawyer. Sawyer literally stole those stars one by one. POOF! GONE! He just chipped away at them every time he pulled a dickhead move that made me want to pummel his face in with rocks.

How to Love started out pretty strong for me. I had kind of a morbid interest in it, very similar to My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi. Teenage pregnancy? I was curious. I w ...more

flag 58 likes · Like · see review

Jul 31, 2014 Whitney Atkinson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2015, unhauled

3.5 stars

It's so hard for me to collect my thoughts about this book. I nearly unhauled this and at this point, I'm unable to determine if whether I should have or not. I kept this because I've never read a book on teen pregnancy before, and I really wanted to try this. I fell in love with the writing of this book. Katie Cotugno isn't necessarily the most brilliant writer, but she makes such clever analogies and her sentences flow so well that I was really rather impressed. And usually I hate now 3.5 stars

It's so hard for me to collect my thoughts about this book. I nearly unhauled this and at this point, I'm unable to determine if whether I should have or not. I kept this because I've never read a book on teen pregnancy before, and I really wanted to try this. I fell in love with the writing of this book. Katie Cotugno isn't necessarily the most brilliant writer, but she makes such clever analogies and her sentences flow so well that I was really rather impressed. And usually I hate now-and-then perspectives, but I actually felt like the Before and After layout of this book was done really well and I was never bored with one chapter or the other. These two factors by themselves, combined with the fact that I was genuinely enjoying the storyline at first, would have made it a five star book for me. But very quickly, I found myself really disliking Sawyer. And he, along with the negativity he brought into this book, is really what brought it down for me. He was a complete jerk and still expected to be loved, which I didn't agree with. There was so much angst--too much angst-- in the relationship between Sawyer and Reena that I was so exasperated and wished she would just dump him for good. Reena has a boyfriend in the "After" chapters, and I hated how Sawyer came onto her even though he knew that she was in a relationship. How he cruelly demanded that Reena tell him she loved him. I just never understood him or his motives or his personality, and since the book literally centers around their relationship, I found myself growing detached.

Overall, this book was just an experience. I think it's really important because it handles the topic of teen pregnancy well. So well, that I was extremely uncomfortable reading this book at times. Not because it was graphic, but just because I was able to put myself in Reena's shoes for a moment and imagining myself in her situation was horrible. This book made me feel so vulnerable and gross, and I'm kind of impressed that it brought out that reaction in me. Putting this down, I seriously feel more concerned about making meaningful relationships and being responsible within those relationships. I can only imagine other teens reading this and feeling the same way; hopefully it touched someone to be able to see and understand how rough being a young mom is. It certainly enlightened me about the topic, and I'm left feeling grateful that I'm in a family of people who support me and that i'm single af and don't have to worry about Reena's situation happening to me. ...more

flag 55 likes · Like · see review

Sep 11, 2013 Gillian added it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-i-own, rep, great-shelf-of-meh, love-triangles-are-pointy, contemporary, should-have-liked-this-more

Rating: I am SO VERY CONFLICTED ABOUT THIS BOOK. Honestly, getting my thoughts in any kind of order seems to be impossible. It's almost like I hated and loved this book in equal measure. In the end, I feel like the strengths of this book are so strong that they outweighed the negatives. The first half of this book is sensational. The second half made me mildly crabby.

In an effort to make my thoughts more orderly, I'm going to impose some order on this review.

I loved: The writing. How to Love is ...more

flag 54 likes · Like · see review

Sep 22, 2017 Joce (squibblesreads) added it · review of another edition

Teens making out against a wall. Character makes joke about terrorists. Then asks another character "are you one of those people who are really sensitive about terrorist jokes?"
The scene was pretty much left at that. I tried to continue but I'll cool it w books w privileged characters that make offhand remarks about terrorism with not a smidgen of recourse either directly or indirectly. Hard pass.
Edit: I read a tiny bit more and it doesn't seem as though this character is made out to be villain ...more

flag 47 likes · Like · see review

Nov 06, 2017 Heather rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-contemporary

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. It was gripping and adorable. The characters were definitely very flawed but I still enjoyed it none the less.

flag 48 likes · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2014 Maria rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, books-i-love-to-death, shove-it-in-your-face-recs, contemporary, romance, slice-of-life, young-adult, fave-heroine, standalone, douchebag-hero

REACTION AFTER READING THE BOOK

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

The end made me so damn happy for Reena and Sawyer.

This book was not perfect. It has some shortcomings, but personally I thought this book was great. I think it dealt with the topic of teenage pregnancy realistically. I should know because I have been in that situation. I have been Reena at some point in my life, and I could definitely say that most of the situations Reena went through in this book was accurate.

I've read a couple of negative reviews about this ...more

flag 44 likes · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2017 enqi ☁️✨ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: amortentia, i-will-go-down-with-this-ship, 2017, standalones, standalone-favorites, will-read-this-authors-grocery-list, certified-book-boyfriends, the-ones-that-own-my-soul, 2017-favs

the most beautiful and heartbreaking masterpiece of a contemporary i've read this year.

RTC ...more

flag 41 likes · Like · see review

May 12, 2013 Jaime Arkin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook-format, romance, read-in-2013, true-5-starers, favorites, recommend-forever, stand-alone-books, balzer-bray, on-my-real-shelves, contemporary

I seriously have started and stopped writing this review about 4 times. I'm sucking it up now and completing it though.

Every once in a while I read a book that totally exceeds anything I was expecting… a book that leaves you practically speechless with how incredibly it is written and the story it tells. That is what How To Love was for me. I’m not entirely sure what I can say about this book right now, so forgive me if none of this makes a bit of sense.

First of all, it’s told in a wonderfull ...more

flag 32 likes · Like · see review

Jul 11, 2013 Giselle rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: age-young-adult, genre-romance-lust, 1-star, 2013, bought-in-store, genre-contemporary, dnf, genre-romance, tough-issues

I'm sorry if this comes out as a rant.. You have been warned..

Nothing really happens exactly..It's just day to day mundane things except at the end there was a bit of drama. There's no hook to keep you reading. I pushed this aside twice and picked it up again just so I can find out if he changes. There are chapters of her going to the mall and shopping and cooking food. It's super mundane and utterly boring. I also don't like the Before and After chapters because it breaks the momentum of whatev I'm sorry if this comes out as a rant.. You have been warned..

Nothing really happens exactly..It's just day to day mundane things except at the end there was a bit of drama. There's no hook to keep you reading. I pushed this aside twice and picked it up again just so I can find out if he changes. There are chapters of her going to the mall and shopping and cooking food. It's super mundane and utterly boring. I also don't like the Before and After chapters because it breaks the momentum of whatever happened.

(view spoiler) I dislike Sawyer soo much. Reena is supposed to be this smart girl but she keeps going back for more. She keeps putting up with his crap. Not only during the Before, but also with the After. Thought she learned her lesson? And the moment when we find out happens with Allie and Sawyer? Is this supposed to be the reason why he was acting out the entire time? I thought he was already a jerk before that. Then there's the sweet and steady Aaron who wants her. Yet she wants the bad-boy Sawyer. Every time he would smirk I wanted to punch him. Ughhh I did not like him at all. He's probably one of the worst YA boyfriends I've read about. Did I miss something??? Wasn't this supposed to be some epic love story? I found it to be more like lust!? I didn't find anything remotely interesting or passionate about these two. I'm sorely disappointed.. *sighs*

I'm guessing there was supposed to be so much more than just romantic love, but also family and friendship love. But again I didn't find any of that. Her best friend Shelby keeps forgiving her for things and she didn't even reach out to her. Talk about no effort. And obviously coming from a strict Catholic family she would have trouble being sixteen and pregnant, but good God she did not handle it well. Blowing up at her father that way. That's pretty disrespectful to do to your parent. I wished there was more of an emphasis about how terrified she would be of having this baby at her age, and how her faith could help or destroy her. Yet there wasn't any of that. It was all Sawyer goggles from then on.

I'm so sad I didn't like this..It's always hard to like a book when you dislike the characters.. Maybe someone else will have better luck than I did?

RATING 2/5

QUOTES

Why did you only love me when I was good? (256)

I could t figure out how he could make me so happy and so miserable all at once. (308)
...more

flag 27 likes · Like · see review

Jun 18, 2016 Rachel Maniacup rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Rachel by: Aj the Ravenous Reader

Shelves: tear-jerker, ya-contemporary

This is my first book of Katie Catugno,and I must say that this author is a talented writer because she writes beautifully..I just didn't like the story line because it didn't much portrayed what the title says(and it's the title that captivated me into reading this). I'm not being judgmental but I guess,I have high hopes and expectations when it comes to contemporary. I thought,the story would flow similarly to "Before We Were Strangers" or something like the "First Comes Love"series-these are ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Feb 14, 2017 Frankie Lovely rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, rtc-review-to-come, stand-alone, want-to-own, read-it-in-2017

4 stars
Review to come

OMG you guys! This book totally cured my slump! Absolutely surprised at how good this one was! I really only have one rant (but it's sort of a big one) and tbh it's mostly personal preference (but it's keeping me from giving this 5 stars). I definitely recommend this book to the contemporary lovers out there! <3 ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

May 21, 2013 Katy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Okay, so this wasn't the light, cute, fun read I was looking for, but wow, this book was pretty good. What a great story that realistically portrays a situation that happens all-too-often in a way that captures your heart.

The reason I liked this story so much was because it wasn't about a girl in a rough or trashy neighborhood that got pregnant by the typical bad boy. Serena and Sawyer are from devout Christian families, and they deal with issues that real teens deal with - whether it's Serena's Okay, so this wasn't the light, cute, fun read I was looking for, but wow, this book was pretty good. What a great story that realistically portrays a situation that happens all-too-often in a way that captures your heart.

The reason I liked this story so much was because it wasn't about a girl in a rough or trashy neighborhood that got pregnant by the typical bad boy. Serena and Sawyer are from devout Christian families, and they deal with issues that real teens deal with - whether it's Serena's studious attempt to graduate a year early so she can leave town or Sawyer finding escape through music and other substances. Maybe Allie's and Leo's situations were a bit too much, but I think they were both necessary, especially the latter, to kind of make the story work.

And I really connected with Serena in this book. Yeah, she was a bit stand-offish at the beginning, but if I were a private person who had a friend like Allie, I would probably be that way too. Don't get me wrong, Serena did come across as a bitch for a good portion of this book. But at the same time, she really does go through a lot, and I can't imagine having to deal with the situations that she's had to face - with Sawyer, with the baby, with her family's change, with moving on. And she made her fair share of stupid actions, but you can't help who you fall in love with sometimes, and really, I can't see it ending up any other way for her.

The romance itself was realistically good. Serena and Sawyer both had their great moments, making them wonderful companions. At the same time, they had their fair share of arguments - over stupid things, over ridiculous things, over legitimate things, real issues that couples deal with all the time.

I wish I got to know Lydia more and why she decide not to be there for Serena, and what Roger's problem was with Sawyer. And Cade was there, but not. I really love Soledad and Shelby (although I did feel that fact about her at the end just came from nowhere), and it was heartwarming to see Serena patch things up with Leo. And Aaron - it breaks my heart.

Overall, it was refreshing to read something that happens enough but does not get enough attention - but in such a way where you can actually connect with the characters. Props to Cotugno on her debut.

Previously: I am on a YA chick-lit binge/marathon - in desperate need of a GOOD cute, fluffy read. ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Sep 01, 2015 Sky rated it liked it · review of another edition

True rating 2.5

A few days ago I read a review that made me think about my rating system, I don’t remember the reviewer’s name so if you’re reading this (which you’re probably not) message me so I can tag you. Okay, so the reviewer said something about how people mostly lower their ratings based on characters’ stupid decisions and not the writing-style nor the world-building. Okay, so I admit that characters have a huge role in my rating, but it’s not the only thing I look at whilst rating. I lo True rating 2.5

A few days ago I read a review that made me think about my rating system, I don’t remember the reviewer’s name so if you’re reading this (which you’re probably not) message me so I can tag you. Okay, so the reviewer said something about how people mostly lower their ratings based on characters’ stupid decisions and not the writing-style nor the world-building. Okay, so I admit that characters have a huge role in my rating, but it’s not the only thing I look at whilst rating. I look at the writing-style, the character development, how the world is built, and most importantly I look at what type of plot-devices the author uses (i.e when they use mental illnesses, rape, and other things that should not be used as plot devices). So in this review I will show you both the negative and positive aspects of this book, so it can be a fair rating.

If any of you watched Peter Pan; that’s exactly how I will describe Sawyer, a child, a child that will never grow the fuck up. Like, when he saw his child for the FIRST time in TWO years the dialogue between him and the mom went along the lines of;

“This mine?”

“Yeah”

“Y’did good”

That my friends was the encounter between Reena, the girl who was knocked up at 16- and thrown to the curb, while pregnant. To be fair, Sawyer didn’t know she was pregnant, but when he discovered they had a child TWO YEARS LATER he acted like she gave birth to a candy-bar! He was so chill and cool about the whole thing. I didn’t see guilt, nor remorse, nothing, nada. And Reena, you’d expect better from a person who gets insults like; “You language-obsessed intellectual elitist”. The author was trying to make her so good and innocent and intelligent, but failed miserably. She may be good at writing essays, but she is as dumb as you can get when it comes to life-changing thoughts. I understand her parents are religious and having a pregnant 16 year-old is the last thing they had in my mind, but that did not excuse her stupid decisions.

Hannah, the baby was just used as a plot device; I rarely saw Reena taking care of her, I rarely felt the mother-daughter bond between them, and I didn’t see Sawyer act like a damn father. And like I said before, I’m very critical about bad choices of plot devices, like dammit!

“The weird emptiness of not having a best friend to tell things to. How it’s lonelier than any breakup could ever be.”

Okay, writing this review just reminded me how mad this book got me. I liked the writing-style of this book, it went back and forth from past tense to present tense, I enjoyed seeing the parallels between the times. I loved Reena’s relationship with her best friends, although no effort from her part was put in. But a female friendship in YA literature, you take what you can get. That’s how rare it is.

It wasn’t bad enough to be DNFd, but it had a lot of bad aspects that couldn’t be outweighed by the good ones. Thus the 2.5 star rating. ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2013 Giselle rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own, audiobook

Don't let my 3 stars sway you against this one. How to Love is a pretty good book for many reasons. First it touches on a subject I personally have not often come across in books - teen pregnancy. I found this was handled realistically and fairly. I also really enjoyed the way it was told in past and present perspectives, allowing us to slowly unravel the messy, emotionally conflicting details of Reena's relationship with the father of her child - Sawyer. We learn how it started, but most import Don't let my 3 stars sway you against this one. How to Love is a pretty good book for many reasons. First it touches on a subject I personally have not often come across in books - teen pregnancy. I found this was handled realistically and fairly. I also really enjoyed the way it was told in past and present perspectives, allowing us to slowly unravel the messy, emotionally conflicting details of Reena's relationship with the father of her child - Sawyer. We learn how it started, but most importantly how much it has changed. How much they both have changed. On that note, the reason I did not love this book despite finding it otherwise engaging: Sawyer LeGrande!

To be frank. Sawyer LeGrande is an ass. Since the story alternates from past to present, we're treated to his "lovely" personality from when he was first with Reena. To be fair he was not in a good place in his life, and he very much changed in the "present" perspective which makes up for it, some. Nevertheless, I had a very hard time forgiving his behavior from the past. Maybe a tiny bit because of my own somewhat similar messed up teenage relationship, but alas, I blocked myself emotionally from this guy long before we were meant to find him redeemable.

Reena, however, I loved. I found her mature beyond her years - likely due to her having to raise a child so young. She's a great mother who owns up to her mistakes; raising a child, getting a job, putting her own dreams on hold to do what needed to be done - no matter how unfair she was being treated by her family. That, alone, is admirable to me. She's got flaws, she's not great at admitting things to herself for one, and she let Sawyer be a jerk to her for way too long. In the end, we all make stupid decisions, we all refuse to let ourselves see people's real sides sometimes. My teen self just very much related to her in spite of it all.

Aside from teen pregnancy, this book tackles drug use, religion, family discordance, betrayal, death - but ultimately, love, romance, and friendship. Since I didn't love Sawyer, the romance fell a bit flat for me. I'm all about second chances, but I think Sawyer had a lot more to make up for, not helped by the fact that Reena gave in to him (both in past and present) much too easily. Evidently, all my problems with this book stem from him. Everything else is what drew me in: the writing, the realism, the family dynamic, the emotional struggles - I also loved every other character. If I had grown to like Sawyer… I can understand the reasons behind the many 5 stars!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2013 Keertana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: why-the-hype

It's no secret that I struggle with romance. I'm just as prone to swooning as any other girl, but perhaps I'm just more picky about who I swoon over. Or maybe it just takes more for a romance to really click for me. Whatever it is, How to Love, failed to impress me. Not only did its love story fall flat, but its tale of redemption didn't tug at any heartstrings whatsoever. Although I believe that Cotugno's debut novel manages to cover a plethora of topics with poise, its prose lilting and imposs It's no secret that I struggle with romance. I'm just as prone to swooning as any other girl, but perhaps I'm just more picky about who I swoon over. Or maybe it just takes more for a romance to really click for me. Whatever it is, How to Love, failed to impress me. Not only did its love story fall flat, but its tale of redemption didn't tug at any heartstrings whatsoever. Although I believe that Cotugno's debut novel manages to cover a plethora of topics with poise, its prose lilting and impossible to tear away from, my overall feelings towards this novel remain ambiguous. In fact, I sincerely hope to forget all about it...soon.

How to Love is told in alternating timelines, switching from "Before" to "After" every other chapter. It chronicles the tale of Sawyer and Reena's young, teenage romance in a small Florida town "before" Reena became pregnant and then, two years "after" when Sawyer finally returns, turning Reena's life upside down once again. It's a fairly typical story line, no denying, but Cotugno's writing is beautiful, flowing from past to present and aligning these dual tales perfectly. I particularly love the manner in which the details of this couple are slowly revealed, layer by layer. Moreover, it is especially effective in witnessing both the similarities and the differences between teenage Reena and grown-up Reena; teenage Sawyer and grown-up Sawyer. I've found that most novels that tackle this idea tend to either begin in the past before shifting to the present or are merely dispersed with numerous flashbacks. In contrast, Cotugno's style works best.

Where Cotugno truly shines, however, is in her honest portrayal of Reena. As far as protagonists go, Reena is an easy one to root for. Not only is she under the drinking age and straddled with a two-year-old daughter, but her dreams of attending a nonfiction writing program at Northwestern and traveling the world have all been dashed by her careless teenage mistake. Yet, I appreciate that she took responsibility for her actions and her strength is one to be admired. Moreover, despite the stigma and allegations of her conservative parents and town, Reena manages to work, take care of her daughter, and attend classes at the local community college. When it comes to teenage pregnancy, Cotugno really hit the nail on the head. Although I am quick to judge on this subject, numerous novels over the past year - Beth Kephart's Small Damages most notably - have allowed me to view this subject in a much more different light. Cotugno is no exception and excels, not only in capturing Reena's tumultuous mindset, but also in highlighting the tense relationships she holds with her parents and friends.

Nevertheless, where this novel fell apart for me was in its love interest, Sawyer. As a teenager, Sawyer is a mess: drugs, alcohol, and a total Casanova to boot. Unfortunately, I never really came to understand why Sawyer was forced to resort to such extremes to cope with his life, which only twisted my view of him. Furthermore, though, I simply could not see his charm. Sawyer is the godson of Reena's father and, as such, she has grown up seeing him all her life. And, all her life, she's been head-over-heels crazy for him. Why? I have no idea. Granted, Sawyer is handsome and polite, but once his relationship with Reena truly took off, I could only think of one word to describe it: unhealthy. Sawyer convinces Reena to skip classes, blow off her responsibilities, and subtly peer pressures her to mingle with his crowd. On more than once occasion, Reena is upset after spending time with Sawyer and often uncomfortable at the scenes he takes her too. Still, no matter how discomfiting it was to read about their destructive relationship, it ultimately stands as a realistic portrayal of many teenage relationships.

Where How to Love completely lost me, though, was in the "after" relationship between Reena and Sawyer. Although Sawyer takes off for two years to attend rehab and get his act together, I was unable to fall for the man he had become. It should be made clear that Sawyer was completely unaware of the fact he even had a daughter until he returned home to Florida. When he did learn the truth - that Reena didn't, in fact, go to Northwestern - he immediately steps up and makes an effort to become Hannah's father. I appreciated this and even understood the persistent sparks between himself and Reena, but the relationship between Reena and Sawyer also persists in its unhealthy aspects. I found it to be almost destructive in its intensity; a little frightening. Sawyer's arrival causes Reena to turn her life around - again - going so far as to break off her relationship with Aaron, the wonderful guy who genuinely wants to be part of her life. I particularly hate this trope, mainly because it causes a completely innocent third party - Aaron - to be hurt for no reason either than the fact that Reena and Sawyer need to be together. Why? I still have no idea.

You see, Sawyer may return to Florida willing to get his act together and become a father to Hannah, but that doesn't mean that he repents in the least or even tries to redeem himself. Instead, his mere presence causes Reena to - slowly - forgive him with time. Although I gradually warmed up to his character during the last fifth of this narrative (mostly because Reena yelled at him a lot which I thought he totally deserved), I cannot admit to truly comprehending the inner workings of this couple. I feel as if Sawyer has a lot to apologize for, both in impregnating Reena (even though, let's face it, that's her fault too), but mostly in disappearing from her life, accusing her of leaving him for college, and in dragging Reena into his lifestyle of drugs. While Sawyer's nature may appeal to many, it failed to win me over in the least, and I am left ending this book with a sour taste in my mouth. I really love the growth arc that Reena goes through, but I ultimately do not like either her or Sawyer.

And, that's almost what I like about books the most: I do not have to like these characters. I appreciate their complexity and their lives and I particularly admire the writing style their narration is told in, but I still do not believe that this story has reached its full potential. In my eyes, Sawyer needs to be fleshed out far more than he is. Not only do questions concerning his past need to be answered, but the relationship between himself and Reena isn't convincing enough - for me, at any rate. I think the inclusion of so much else in this book really worked in its favor, from the impact of teenage and adult friendships to the importance of family on ones own psyche. Furthermore, Cotugno does a true service to an honest portrayal of life as a teenage mom. How to Love certainly does have a lot to love, which is why I would not hesitate to recommend it to fans of contemporary romance, but while I will be looking out for Cotugno's future works - her writing is too good to miss - I won't be seeing this one again any time soon.

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings. ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Dec 09, 2018 Megha Patel rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

3.5 out of 5

I wasn’t sure if I liked this book in the beginning but once it picked up, I quite enjoyed it. There are a few parts that didn’t sit well with me but otherwise it was great.

The story is complicated and messy but in a good way. It was relatable to say the least. Reena and Sawyer had history and can’t seem to leave it behind them. They both made mistakes in past and are trying to learn from it. I really liked their characters.

It was an amazing contemporary read. It will make you lau ...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Oct 21, 2013 Kelly (and the Book Boar) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013

THIS IS ONLY $1.99 RIGHT NOW (11/25/14)!

http://www.amazon.com/How-Love-Katie-...

The perfect escape when you're dealing with your awful family this Thanksgiving weekend : )

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

Reena has dreamed of two things her whole life – getting away from her hometown of Broward, Florida and getting together with Sawyer. Little does she know that when dream #2 comes true, it will be Sawyer escaping, leaving Reena left behind to raise his baby. A couple ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2017 ✶Rachelle✶ rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, ya

2 stars

Writing this mini review FOR A SECOND TIME because GR is a bitch and deleted my first review
--------

There are a very small number of female MCs that I want to bitch slap. Really, most of the books I read (98% at least) have awesome female characters. They are either 1) badasses, 2) become badasses, or 3) Elizabeth Bennett.

Our MC Reena here didn't make the 98%.

And don't even get me started on Sawyer.

I don't even think I can write a full review at this point. I really did not like this b ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Mar 10, 2015 Maureen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3.75/5 stars
I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this book, but I ended up enjoying it. Besides a few things, it was great. ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Oct 25, 2013 Lamar rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: can-i-have-my-time-back

So... How to Love.
More like How to Be Infatuated With an Egocentric Jerk And Make One Bad Decision After The Next And Ruin Your Life.

I don't know, man. Does hating the main character and nearly everyone in the novel is enough reason to hate the book? *shrugs*
Okay, Lamar. What did you love about the novel?
The writing was good.
The exploration of a real, raw issue was interesting.
I liked Shelby, Aaron, and Soledad.
The color of the cover is beautiful.

Now..

Sawyer:
He wanted so bad to be th ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

May 13, 2013 Juhina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

So I hugged the book after finishing it... For 1 minute straight while lying on my bed... I just can't form the words to express how much I loved this book <3 Katie Cotugno, I love you

Review:

I really really don't know where to begin with this review or how to express how I felt about this book. If you already scrolled down, you would have noticed that my rating for How to Love is an "All time favorite" and if you are a frequent visitor on our blog, you'd also know that we rarely ever bring that So I hugged the book after finishing it... For 1 minute straight while lying on my bed... I just can't form the words to express how much I loved this book <3 Katie Cotugno, I love you

Review:

I really really don't know where to begin with this review or how to express how I felt about this book. If you already scrolled down, you would have noticed that my rating for How to Love is an "All time favorite" and if you are a frequent visitor on our blog, you'd also know that we rarely ever bring that rating out. To give you an example, the last time I gave this rating was to The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay all the way back in June (almost 4 months ago). I had a hard time writing a review of that book, and I'm facing the same problem now. I want to do this book justice through this review and the only way to do that is to tell you what I wrote above. Clearly, How to Love isn't just amazing, but it is BEAUTIFUL, EMOTIONAL, REAL, and BREATHTAKING. Definitely a solid reason of why contemporary fiction is my favorite genre.

How to Love doesn't only center around romantic love, but also family love, the love between a mother and daughter, as well as broken love between the people who are the closest to you. All these forms of love show up and are implicated in the plot line. What is unique about How to Love is that it is told in two different time periods, one is when Reena was 16, and another is during her late 18. The POV flip between the past and present is done in such a way that the present and past work parallel together to enhance the plot, the drama, as well as your own emotions. 16 year old Reena never experienced first love while 18 year old Reena already has a daughter, a broken heart, and a disconnected family life. 16 and 18 year old Reena feel like they're on the opposite end of the life spectrum. You can't help but need to find out how this happened. Yes we know the end result, the actual reason, but Cotugno writes in such a way that makes you want to know every detail that happened in that 2 year span.

Also, even though both POVs are connected, they also work alone and have their somewhat distinct plot line. I loved that even though I know Sawyer ended up with 16 year old Reena and then left her, I still loved their progressive relationship. It was just so beautiful and Sawyer was funny, protective, caring, and beautiful. Reena was such a naive girl but I couldn't blame her for that because she is only 16. On some level she knew of the impeding outcome but she loved Sawyer too much to let go and that is her decision. However, 18 year old Reena is not only 2 years older, but definitely a hardened version of her younger self. Since she had her heart broken, she isn't willing to risk it. Her relationship with her daughter just brought tears to my eyes. As well as the emotional implication of Sawyer coming back. I am speaking of these characters as if they are real… they at least felt real while I was reading their story and that doesn't happen all that much in books these days. The plot isn't something unique, but the way it was handled, the way the characters came to life, and how their problems felt so real, and their feelings so raw had my heart breaking for them.

How to Love is not a fluffy contemporary, that is for sure. It is a story about broken love, second chances, and new beginnings. Ever since I finished reading How to Love, I've been itching to read it again. This shows you how much I love it. I can't wait for more work by Katie Cotugno, if they are anything close to how well written How to Love was, I'll be adding more of her books to my "All Time Favorites" list. ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

May 17, 2013 Katie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, favorite

How To Love is by far one of the best debuts I've ever read. I truly had no idea what to expect from Katie Cotugno and I was completely blown away.

How To Love almost fits into the new adult category rather than young adult. It's a much more mature story than normal YA books and I loved it. Younger readers can certainly get away with reading it (although there is drug use/alcohol use/sexual content) and older readers such as myself can truly enjoy it. While Sawyer and Reena are both in their tee How To Love is by far one of the best debuts I've ever read. I truly had no idea what to expect from Katie Cotugno and I was completely blown away.

How To Love almost fits into the new adult category rather than young adult. It's a much more mature story than normal YA books and I loved it. Younger readers can certainly get away with reading it (although there is drug use/alcohol use/sexual content) and older readers such as myself can truly enjoy it. While Sawyer and Reena are both in their teens, they are forced to deal with some much more adult issues and it was refreshing to read such a realistic story. There's college, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, and so much more packed between these pages. Katie Cotugno tackles everything head on and doesn't shy away from the tough stuff. Everything is handled so well, especially the sexual content, and I would love to see more stories like this one in the future.

The story is told from Reena's point-of-view alone but I really felt like I got to know Sawyer just as well I got to know Reena. Reena is a smart girl. She's funny (in a very sarcastic way), she's kind, and she's definitely a good girl. Sawyer is the opposite of Reena in almost every way. He's definitely a bad boy. He's got drug problems, he's in a band, he's living in a run down place with multiple other guys, and he's not good for Reena. That doesn't stop the two from falling completely in love with each other. This was definitely a case of opposites attracting. Personally I thought Reena and Sawyer were perfect together, at least the second time around.

The story is told in alternating chapters; before and after. It's easy to see how their relationship isn't really all that healthy in the before chapters but both of them have changed drastically since then. They've matured (especially Reena, having to raise a baby), they're smarter, and they can see the truth of their relationship. The story is a very unique one and it completely drew me in. There were secrets between Sawyer and Reena that I just wanted to know and I couldn't stop reading until I knew every last detail. I was captivated from beginning to end.

The last thing I want to mention about How To Love is the writing. It's gorgeous. I don't know any other way to describe it. Even if the story had completely sucked I would have kept reading just for the writing. However, seeing as the story was amazing, the writing was just the icing on the cake.

Overall, just go read How To Love. Please. Even if you're not a contemporary fan, I really think everyone can find something to love about this one. I am highly anticipating Katie Cotugno's next book. ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Jun 27, 2015 Ashley DiNorcia rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-fiction

I don't know. The only thing I really felt while reading this was "wow is this how everyone I know felt while I was dating that ridiculous douchebag all those years ago?"

The before and after perspectives worked for me in this book. Getting to see how the characters have grown yet stayed the same added to the story. I wasn't particularly bothered by Sawyer's shittyness, because honestly, I've known people like him and it happens and I don't mind seeing realistic yet aggravating characters in book ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

May 27, 2013 tonya. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, ya, contemporary, ugly-tears, 2013

Maybe if I'd taken the time to read the blurb or ask what How to Love by Katie Cotugno was about, I wouldn't have read it. Or maybe morbid curiosity would still have gotten the better of me, but I'd have had an easier reading experience for being prepared.

Because there are some books you read for the pleasure of losing yourself totally, of becoming an entirely different person in a different time and a different reality. And there are some books you read to catch a glimpse of yourself in the mir ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

May 10, 2013 Angela rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, arc, contemporary, issues, favorites, vine, 5-stars, good-ones, impressive-writing, makes-you-think

Beautiful & achingly realistic tale of young love & its aftermath

Very rarely does a book impress me, satisfy me, and affect me emotionally as much as Katie Cotugno's debut novel, How to Love, did. This novel is a beautiful and achingly realistic portrayal of one couple's doomed teenage love affair, the aftermath, and their eventual coming to terms with one another.

HOW TO LOVE stands out among the crowd of other YA contemporary novels most notably due to Cotugno's lyrical, evocative writing.
Beautiful & achingly realistic tale of young love & its aftermath

Very rarely does a book impress me, satisfy me, and affect me emotionally as much as Katie Cotugno's debut novel, How to Love, did. This novel is a beautiful and achingly realistic portrayal of one couple's doomed teenage love affair, the aftermath, and their eventual coming to terms with one another.

HOW TO LOVE stands out among the crowd of other YA contemporary novels most notably due to Cotugno's lyrical, evocative writing. The author creates beautiful mental images throughout the novel by including details that add nuance and feeling to the story. Every detail or repeated image seems intentionally placed and well-considered. I would often stop reading to admire a passage and think to myself "THIS is what good writing looks and feels like." Another strength lies in the two main characters, Reena and Sawyer. Both are complex, flawed characters with multifaceted family members and friends surrounding them. While I often didn't like Reena or Sawyer, the writing allowed me to understand them and their actions and motivations.

In addition to her strong character development, Cotugno also does wonders with the plot and the structure of the novel. There is a careful interweaving of plot threads about family pressures, work, alcohol/drugs, religion, school, and friendship to make the characters' lives feel real and palpable. I especially liked the presence and impact of Reena's best friend, Allie, on the relationship between Sawyer and Reena. The plot of HOW TO LOVE never hurries nor dallies; the juxtaposition of the "before" and "after" chapters are perfectly aligned with mirrored events that follow one another naturally. When the book came to a close, the ending left me satisfied, even without answering every plot question directly.

Though this book was a perfect fit for me, there were a few phrases or sentence choices that threw me at times, and other readers may not be able to look past Reena's and Sawyer's flaws in order to find them sympathetic.

In all, though, HOW TO LOVE is the best young adult book that I've read in the past two years. I can't wait to see what moving, realistic, and emotionally arresting stories Cotugno writes in the future. I know that I'll be reading every one of them.

Note: This review refers to an advance review copy.

***

Immediate reaction: My first five-star book in two years! I am so incredibly impressed with the quiet but compelling story this novel tells and the style and lyricism with which the author tells it. I can't wait to see what this author writes in the future. ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Jun 05, 2013 Aman rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

What an utter disappointment! How To Love was one of my most awaited reads of 2013, everything about this book, from the cover to the premises to the early feedback screamed that it was the perfect book for me. Second chance romance! Hell Yeah! That is my favorite type of romance and there has never been a time where I disliked a book featuring that, but I guess there is a first time for everything. How To Love and I started off at the wrong foot; from the ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Soledad pronounciation	3	40	Jul 24, 2016 04:33AM
great read!	3	12	Apr 15, 2015 11:59AM
All About YA : How to Love	2	16	Aug 25, 2014 02:15AM
Did you like this book?	4	51	Jul 02, 2014 01:52PM
YA Today Book Club: Discussion #26: How To Love	2	10	May 02, 2014 07:23AM
Books like this	2	41	Apr 08, 2014 02:54PM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Young Adult

429 users

Romance

381 users

Contemporary

367 users

New Adult

118 users

Realistic Fiction

65 users

Fiction

58 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Contemporary

57 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

52 users

Audiobook

30 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Romance

29 users

See top shelves…

About Katie Cotugno

Katie Cotugno

1,619 followers

Katie Cotugno is the New York Times bestselling author of messy, complicated, feminist love stories. She studied Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College and received her MFA in Fiction at Lesley University.

Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Iowa Review, The Mississippi Review, and Argestes, among others.

The great loves of her life include child's pose, ...more