4.5 beautiful stars

Summary
Meg is a New York famous calligraphist. She also has a knack for reading people and seeing signs most people miss. And sometimes, she secretly hides these codes into her art - like she did with Reid Sutherland's wedding invitations.
But Reid is good with codes and numbers. A year after his non-wedding, he shows up at Meg's store wanting to know how she knew his relationship would fail. The two of them turn on each other for companionship, creative inspiration, and an escape from their stressful lives. During their walks around the city, they open up to each other and discover they may be developing feelings. But there may be signs even Meg is missing...

Overview
➸ POV - 1st Person, Meg's POV

➸ Meg Mackworth - Calligraphy artist, New Yorker, Creatively blocked, Hides codes/messages into her art, Hate confrontation

➸ Reid Sutherland - Wall street, Good with math and number, Previously engaged, Hates New York

➸ Content Warnings: Anxiety, Cheating (off page and in past)

My Thoughts
This book is the perfect case of a story coming at the most perfect time. I connected with this story so quickly and became completely lost in these characters. Around the 40% I never wanted to put this down.

This is a story that really took it's time. The romance bloomed slowly and I loved watching the characters slowly grow to trust and open up. As someone who personally can't relate to a whirlwind romance, I really appreciated this slow burn connection.

I really loved Reid's character and related to him a lot. He was such a layered character and watching his development throughout the story was really special. He's definitely not your typical romance male hero, he's soft spoken and gentle, reserved, and respectful. He felt like a breath of fresh air in a seemingly endless sea of alpha heroes.

I loved the commentary on friendships and trust. Meg's strained relationship with her best friend felt so real and relatable. I think it's something many people will be able to connect with. And Meg's struggle with standing up for herself or asking for what she wants/needs is a struggle I think many woman (and men!) can relate to.

I just found everything about this book to hit so close to home for me. It was characters and message that I didn't even know I needed. This book will definitely stay with me for a long time. I can't wait to read what this author writes next!

My review is live on Goodreads and will be posted to my blog on 12/29/19

Clayborn delivers another emotionally satisfying story. I enjoyed the push/pull relationship of Meg and Reid. It's a slow burn for sure. I did feel like the book got bogged down a bit in all the design swooning and the "dark" twist at the end seemed kind of out of place. At any rate, it's a solid enjoyable read.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lovely and beautifully written romance. I enjoyed the creative narrative of utilizing calligraphy to connect to unlikely-to-meet-characters. Meg meets Reid after secretly imbedding a word in his wedding invitations. He later comes back to confront Meg and instead leaves feeling inspired. A tentative friendship builds between them as they embark on a journey to find creative inspiration for Meg's potential client.
Reid is a tense, complicated man with the weight of the world on his shoulders but his friendship and blossoming romance allows him to feel alive again.
The letter he writes to Meg at the end is both touching and romantic. Many times we need a sign to show us our purpose again. Loved it.

Listen: I don’t give a shit about stationary, calligraphy, or hand lettering. I don’t do bullet journals or really anything to do with paper at all (sorry to all my horrified friends right now! It’s just...if I’m going to work so hard on something, I just really want to eat it at the end 😆). When I started reading this book, I got a little niggling worry that I was not going to be able to deal with the level of artist-y detail that would be included (all you folks out there that aren’t obsessed with food like I am, I now understand your lack of interest in foodie romance!). However! I WAS WRONG!

Despite not knowing (or really caring that much) about Meg’s occupation, this book completely won me over. It captured me with its timid, unsure, dating. It captured me with its vulnerability, its miscommunications that were real (and not just that the characters weren’t talking to each other). It’s sweet, it’s sexy, there’s a tiny bit of mystery. I loved the female friendships portrayed here, too, they were just fabulous.

If you like place-based romances (this is a love letter to New York), if you like women working hard to find themselves, if you like awkward but adorable male love interests, and yes, I guess, if you like journaling and all that stationary business, you should definitely check this out. But love of stationary is absolutely not required. ;)

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn is a contemporary romance set in New York.

Meg is an artist who designs among other things wedding invitations. Reid has been her client whose wedding invitation she designed a year ago. One night he shows up demanding that Meg tell him how she knew that his marriage will fail as he found the secret message in the invitation.
Meg explains how she observed certain things between him and his former fiancee and why she knew that the relationship will fail.
She has always felt a certain attraction for him and she has an idea for a special job opportunity that she wants Reid to help her with and it turns into wonderful game.
They are completely different and so shy that it is hard for them to say the words and show the feelings.

I must admit that I found the writing style a bit unusual, an inner monologue was in my opinion too strenuous and the beginning a bit muddled as some characters are mentioned but not clearly explained who they are and what the current relationship with Meg is.
I also found the ending a bit overrated.
I really liked the premise and the hidden message but the execution was lacking.

It pains me to write this review, I expected to love this book as much as i have loved all of the previous books of Kate Clayborn but this one didn't quite work for me and this made me sad. I have mixed feelings, loved the first half, was confused and unhappy with the second half, so my rating is 3 stars overall.

I will start with the good - lovely, engaging writing, deep first-person POV, great rep of an young woman finding her place personally and professionally in the big city. I loved seeing so much her professional life and how it shapes/reflects who she is. Much of the first half of he story is focused almost completely on Meg and it reads a lot like women’s fiction.

Reid, unlike Meg, remained mysterious and unfamiliar to the reader until late in the novel. We were getting to know him slowly and we saw a shy and somewhat awkward guy, not very open about himself and his job.


I loved the idea of the games they played and how the whole games things featured in the story. I also very much liked that we so much of Meg's and Reid's relationships with other people - family, friends, colleagues, clients. They all served to reveal more of their character.

The romance itself was slow burn, starting with a tentative emotional connection, gradually building up to intimacy. I appreciate the scene with her period which we rarely see in romance, and how supporting and understanding of her discomfort during her period.


I was not very happy with the first sex scene and the implication that he is given her the best experience she has ever had. It had these strong not-like-other men vibes, presenting her as someone which either picked only the wrong guys before or didn't know/care much of her own desire and pleasure, either of which is not flattering to her. At the same time I do appreciate the openness in discussing their desires and preferences.

The second half had a completely different vibe, more dynamic, full of action/things happening, verging on too much drama. Reid lying to her and thus putting her whole career in danger was a huge issue, not an unforgivable one but I feel he didn't grovel nearly enough and she forgave him far too easily. I wanted her to be angry with him, to fight with him (something we have seen her learning to do through the story btw), instead she was angry for a minute or so and then she was worried, concerned and ultimately reading his letter, showing full understanding of his thinking and actions, and forgiving him. His apology/explanation with a letter might appear as tender, romantic gesture but I felt like a cope-out to me, stealing her chance to express her POV. It was all unilateral and she just accepted it and they moved on.

I am happy that things worked out in the end and that Meg an Reid ended together but I didn't like how the main conflict was handled.


Overall, this is a very difficult book for me to review, it had some great elements, i loved bits of it so much but also i was angry and disappointed with other bits. The different tone and pacing of the first and second half made me feel like i was reading two different books, the first one being far superior to the second one.

I still absolutely love Kate Clayborn’s writing, the amazing female MCs she creates and despite this story not working for me the way I expected, I am still looking forward to reading more by this author.

I had no idea what to expect from this book.
Let me tell you though, it’s everything a romcom should be. I can’t tell you how many times I highlighted the funniest phrases, the most accurate and hilarious descriptions, and said out loud to myself, “THAT IS SO TRUE!” I don’t think I’ve read a book with more vivid descriptions of what’s happening or where Meg is at any given time. Whether it was the shop she mostly works out of, the streets or neighborhoods of New York she’s walking, the restaurants she’s eating at...I felt like I was right there with her smelling all the smells and taking in the sights.

That’s not to say that it isn’t without drama and surprises. I’ve never read anything by Kate Clayborn before (going to remedy that in 2020 though, let me tell you), but she has the recipe down for a perfect blend of laughter, swooning, drama, and tears in this romance.

Meg is a bit quirky, but very lovable, heroine. I took to her right away, and loved how she thinks and sees the world in different fonts. She doesn’t like to ruffle feathers, even to her own detriment.

Reid is a picture of stoic honesty, and he sees the world through numbers. He’s tall, *quite* handsome, quiet (which makes you truly listen when he does speak), and misjudged by most. Not by Meg, though. She senses something in him the first day they meet, no matter that it was a brief encounter involving his upcoming nuptials for which Meg was designing the invitations. The result of said encounter throws them back in each others’ paths about a year later, and we get to watch their story unfold from there.

Meg discovering that confrontation can be a helpful tool in her relationships, after only seeing it as a weapon growing up, was important and necessary growth on her part.
Reid also learns a few lessons of his own, for example, blunt honesty isn’t synonymous with having communication skills.

This book is very much a romance, but I appreciate how much it touches on the evolution of friendship as well. There are two side characters whose stories I would especially love to know more about.

I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. It was exactly what I needed. Even though the plots are not similar, reading this book felt like curling up with my coziest blanket and watching my favorite movie, You’ve Got Mail.

Thanks to NetGalley & Kensington Books for the ARC, but I promise this review is entirely my own.

[Also, Meg gets her period! I always like to mention when this happens in a book, because most heroines seem to magically never have to deal with a uterus who takes revenge on them every single month.]

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Honestly this book was a bit draggy and boring. The inner monologues went on and on and on, and it bored me to death. I didn’t enjoy it, so sad to say.

Just a lot of mixed feelings about the book. I felt like too many story lines were written that just didn’t mesh well together.
The cover is so pretty. But I just didn’t connect with the story at all.
I appreciate the author’s effort and putting her work out there.
Just not for me.

An unexpectedly fun and whimsical read from start to finish. I started reading this book in the morning, and stayed up late at night to finish because I was so invested in Meg and Reid's story.

Meg is a calligrapher who becomes famous for her whimsy and intricate wedding invitations. When she is designing Reid and Avery's wedding suite, she sees something amiss in their relationship. Following her gut, she leaves a message in their wedding program. And Reid is a straight-laced numbers guy. He analyzes patterns and numbers for a living. A year after the wedding, Reid tracks down Meg to find out why she left the message. And from their .... the sparks start to slowly fly.

I think it's best to go into this book without knowing much about it. I LOVED the descriptive writing style, and story flow. It was an incredibly original and well-thought out plot. Personally, I love planners, pens, and writing, so this was write up my alley.

I could vividly picture Meg and Reid as they learn about each other, and the intricacies of New York. At times, the book felt a little slow and meandered through some side stories. There was also an unexpectedly steamy part that came out of nowhere, but overall, it was an original, quirky, and charming read. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a super sweet story. I loved the characters of Meg and Reid. Reid evolves so well over the course of the book. The reader is exposed to what Meg “sees” with her lettering - and it is mirrored in Reid’s numbers. Sexy and heartwarming, this was definitely a winner in my book!

4* Charming Romance Stars

I was fortunate to be able to receive and read the first chapter of Love lettering from Kensington Books and NetGalley back in September and was very intrigued as to where this story was going to go. When I received the completed book, I dived into it straightaway and was not disappointed.

I connected straightway with Meg who is a rather quirky artist with an ability to see what others cannot. I had some laugh out loud moments with her inner dialogue throughout the book. I enjoyed reading how Meg and Reid overcame their struggles and emotions and their relationship evolved slowly from friendship to love.

This is a very well-written, heart-warming very slow burn romance. The cover of the book is gorgeous too.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for my copy to read and review.

Such a fun book! I was hooked after just a few pages. I love all the imagery with the letters and the story was sweet but not too predictable. I loved Meg and Reid and their chemistry. I’ll definitely be looking to read more books by Kate Clayborn.

It's entirely perfect that a book about a hand letterer makes me think so much about words. As in, Kate Clayborn knows how to use words. I found myself highlighting entire passages throughout this book. This author is a poet and as a reader, I count myself lucky to have her writing my favorite genre.

I admit I was skeptical of the book when I realized that the entire book is only told from the heroine Meg's perspective. In romance I generally like dual POV because I like getting both characters' internal dialogue as the relationship develops. Often a focus on the heroine's point of view can make it feel like women's fiction. Every time I started to feel Love Lettering veer in that direction, Clayborn saves it. Yes, living in Meg's head only means we are very focused on Meg's experience, but Reid spends a lot of time on the page and their romance is always the driving force of the story. The juxtaposition of Meg's affinity for words and Reid's gift for numbers was delightful. They're not in opposition of each other the way letter people and numbers people usually are; for Meg and Reid, letters and numbers work in harmony to convey something meaningful. I tend to measure my enjoyment of a romance by how much I would want to be friends with the heroine (totally would) and how much I want to date/bang the hero (um, absolutely!). That first kiss? One, two, three...

Some other things I loved in this story:
1. Strong, realistic female friendships. Romance often portrays strong female friendships, but I was amazed and appreciative of the depiction of how relationships shift as women reach middle adulthood. Careers, romantic partnerships, children, etc. cause friendships to change. I felt for Meg as Sibby was pulling away from her; I was excited as she grew closer to Lark and recognized her bond with Cecilia and Lachelle.
2. I may have missed it, but I don't remember a physical description of Meg. I have no idea what the author intended for her to look like apart from her sassy taste in clothing. In a genre that focuses so much on the female body one way or the other (either in an idealized, thin-and-curvy-and-perfect way or in a not-thin-and-screw-mainstream-beauty-standards-overtly way), it was refreshing for the focus to be on the emotional journey of the characters and for so little attention to be paid to their packaging. Even if there was a description and I just missed it, the fact that I was allowed to miss it is pretty freaking incredible.
3. It may seem like a small thing, but the extremely honest description of what it's like to have your period? So appreciated. Romance heroines never seem to be sloppy, or sick, or anything unless it serves the story, and Meg wanting to gobble chocolate and curl up around a heating pad is...well, thank you to the author for writing this, to the editors for letting it stay, and the publishers for being willing to print it.

All told, I found Love Lettering to be a heartfelt and moving story. It feels very real to me. The use of words and language left me gobsmacked. I was rooting for the MCs the entire time. Kate Clayborn knows how to tell a story and I hope she never stops sharing them with the rest of us.

This was a sweet, quirky romance about two people with their own baggage falling in love. I loved the glimpse into an artistic life - the information about lettering was interesting - and the NYC setting. The storyline moved a bit slowly, although by the end I could see where all of the pieces fell into place. I'd recommend it for readers who like their characters well-developed and the story very detailed.

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC to review!

Extraordinary writing, delightful characters and a unique plot made this one of my favorite books of the year! Meg is a witty yet flawed heroine, which I think readers enjoy because we can relate. And Reid. Oh my word, Reid. He is such an amazing imaginary guy. One of my favorite fictional heroes of 2019!
This is a beautiful story with the perfect balance of romance, friendship and conflict between the whole cast of characters. Plus the author gets bonus points for taking her audience on a very enjoyable stroll through New York City.
Content warning for highly sensitive readers: there's an intimate scene or two with a heat level that may take you by surprise.
Friends, don't miss this one. It's the perfect book to start your new reading year.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC. The opinions shared here are my own.

This was so cute! I loved how this story evolved and became a much more complex story over the course of the book. After their initial meeting, Meg and Reid reconnect under unusual circumstances. Instead of creating an expected, explosive conflict, the author creates a compelling story of two imperfect people who find their way to one another. I loved the descriptions of New York City and how I could imagine these characters strolling through the streets with one another, finding inspiration in the city and in each other. I will absolutely be recommending this book to people.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

It took me a while to get into this book but once I did, I was absolutely hooked. I love the idea of Meg's job (I love gorgeous journals and planners, even though I'm awful at actually using them) and I also loved Meg. Reid took some time.

This was a great choice for my last review book of 2019. It's sweet and funny and completely hot---just an all around good choice.

I don't know why it took me a few chapters to take, but I'm so glad I was patient with it. I would've hated to miss this one.

What a delightful book!
I went into this thinking I knew what was going to happen - yes, they do end up together, but the way to get there... Wow! That was a roller coaster mixed with a comfort blanket mixed with the best comfort food drink you can imagine. LOL, doesn't make much sense, but you have to read this book to understand what I felt.
And the writing itself! It had me laughing and guffawing every so often, the tone so natural and flowing and I absolutely loved that everything was 'skewed' through the perception of an artist, how the heroine saw everything in signs and fonts. It was quirky and 'lovely weird' and just made the characters even more engaging and delightful.
One of the best surprises of 2019, for sure! Go read it!

This is a mostly sweet urban romance, featuring the creative Meg and the numbers-focused Reid, who initially seem like total opposites. Meg’s hand-lettering business is taking off, but she’s feeling blocked and uninspired until she and Reid begin exploring the city together, looking at all the hidden lettering scattered on signs throughout different neighborhoods, playing intricate games with their discoveries, and getting to know one another in unexpected ways.

There are complications, of course, but the story is fairly straightforward and light. I did enjoy Meg’s female friendships, especially how she learns to confront and argue constructively rather than avoiding the relationships and dynamics that make her uncomfortable. The plot takes a turn toward the end that feels like a tonal shift, although the love story elements remain. I felt somewhat distant from Meg and her business, as it’s so specialized and caters so specifically to a rich clientele who can afford to splurge excessive amounts of money on things like hand-illustrated day planners, and likewise her endless thoughts on the meaning of letters and their shapes didn’t really do much for me.

Still, as a whole, I enjoyed the book. It’s a quick read, and I think it would be a decent choice for some non-taxing holiday reading.

I enjoyed reading "Love Lettering" by Kate Clayborn! It's fun, light-hearted reading that reminded me of a Hallmark movie in a way. As a writer myself, I loved the connection to letters and hidden messages. It's a perfect novel to cuddle up with a blanket, a cup of cocoa, and read!