Feb 23, 20213 min read

Five Ways to Fall Out of Love by Emily Martin

Five Ways to Fall Out of Love

by Emily Martin

Published by Inkyard Press

How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways…

Aubrey Cash learned the hard way not to rely on love. After all, Webster Casey, the new boy next door she’d been falling for all summer, stood her up at homecoming in front of everyone with no explanation. Proving her theory that love never lasts seems easy when she’s faced with parents whose marriage is falling apart and a best friend who thinks every boy she dates is “the one.” But when sparks fly with a boy who turns out to be Webster’s cousin, and then Webster himself becomes her lab partner for the rest of senior year, Aubrey finds her theory—and her commitment to stay single—put to the test.

As she navigates the breakdown of her family, the consequences her cynicism has on her relationship with her best friend, and her own confusing but undeniable feelings for Webster, Aubrey has to ask herself: What really happened the night Webster stood her up? And if there are five ways to fall out of love…could there perhaps be even more ways to fall back in?

RATED: 16+ CATEGORY: MOOD:

Slightly Steamy Romance Lighthearted

Young Adult yet emotional

I would like to thank #InkyardPress for sending me an #ARC of #FiveWaysToFallOutOfLove by #EmilyMartin via #NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Five Ways to Fall Out of Love by Emily Martin is a YA standalone novel, centering on high school senior Aubrey, who is not only trying to navigate her parents rough marriage, college decisions, and her cynicism of love in general, and how if affects her friendship with her best friend, who is a romantic, but also dealing with the pain and anger from being stood up by her best friend/crush Webster, at last years homecoming dance, and a year of them at each others throats. But when she finds herself dragged to Webster's NYE party, she meets his cousin Holland, and they immediately hit it off. The cynic decides to test the waters with Holland, and she learns she enjoys spending time with him. But as she gets closer to Holland, her and Webster get closer too. She finds herself wondering, what happened the night of homecoming, and is it possible to love someone, despite the chance of heartbreak?

Five Ways to Fall Out of Love is ultimately a coming of age story, of a young woman, preparing to embark on college, and adulthood. I usually find myself shying away from YA romances lately, but I was thrilled that I took the "leap of faith" and read this book. I was hooked from the first chapter, to the last, and I'm not afraid to admit there were tears shed. Five Ways to Fall Out of Love was original, and with a gripping plot, well-written characters, with realistic reactions to conflict. I love that! 90% of the YA I have read, the teenagers react like adults, but Emily Martin really honed in on her characters age and mental states, and it made this book feel so real.

I found myself very drawn to Aubrey's character. At eighteen, she has her whole life ahead of her. She's been accepted into her dream school - plus other schools - and knows what she wants in life. Academically, she is in charge. It's the other stuff - the admittedly messy, emotional parts of life - that have her in turmoil. I related to her issues stemming from her parents marriage. Not to spoil the book, or delve into details of my life, but I was very much like Aubrey at 17. I'd had my heart broken. My parents were having a rough time in their marriage (a years long rough patch), that I often felt caught in the middle. My experiences had left me cynical, and admittedly, had some pretty epic trust issues. So to say I got Aubrey, and her decisions, I mean it. I did. And as for the other characters in this novel - I enjoyed them all for different reasons. I honestly wasn't sure which love interest was the best for Aubrey, because I liked them both. I liked her friends, and their stark differences, yet their unwavering love and loyalty for one another. Every character had layers to them, which I loved!

In the end, I truly enjoyed Five Ways to Fall Out of Love, and while it is young adult, I think even adults, especially parents, should read this book. As a parent myself, it's a reminder that my husband and me the example in which our daughters look to. As a once-upon-a-time-teenager, I know I would have loved this book. Relatable. Real. Emotionally fulfilling. I encourage teenagers and adults to buy this book, and enjoy!