Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

Title: How to Love

Author: Katie Cotugno

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: 10.1.2013

Pages: 389

Genre: Contemporary

Series: No

Source: ARC from BEA

Rating: A

Summary (from Goodreads):

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

Review:

Katie Cotugno, where have you been all my life?

That’s how I felt about mid-way through How to Love. This absolutely stunning, vibrant debut from Cotungo was definitely a highlight of my reading year. It’s an emotional ride that people simply cannot miss.

The story is told in alternating chapters by Reena. We flip back and forth from past to present to see what led up to Sawyer leaving Reena, seemingly alone and pregnant, to his return, and how they both deal and move on.

I loved that Cotugno didn’t victimize Reena. I feel like I’ve read a handful of books lately where the heroine simply reacts to what happens to her, but doesn’t try to do anything about it. Reena isn’t that girl: She’s one of the most visceral, utterly human characters I’ve read in a long time. She isn’t perfect. She’s made mistakes, but she’s a good mom and she has a strong support network.

The relationship with Reena and Sawyer was just magic, both past and present. I love that Sawyer didn’t burst back onto the scene with a, “Hi, honey, I’m home. We’re together again, right?” It wasn’t that simple. Sawyer had to work to earn back Reena’s trust, and that made their relationship all the more plausible and relatable.

All in all, this is a fabulous start to a promising new writing career. I cannot wait to see what Cotugno comes up with next!

Buy: Amazon