Really nice and gluttony triggering excerpt well written full of angst I get crazy for slow burn they are my drug of choice so I really liked this due to the fact that this book has all that is needed to shine
Waiting for 2020 full release

#LoveLettering #NetGalley

What an adorable book!
Lots of description about fonts, pens, letter strokes and other hand lettering and drawing ideas and concepts. Handlettering is not in my artistic repetoire, but I do love looking at it... As such, many of the ideas and descriptions are quite lost on me, but the author is not too wonky on this, so if it's not thing, you'll be fine.

The story itself is fun and engaging. The characters are all pretty white, but also feminist- periods, harassment & consent are discussed pointedly, but not preachily.

Reid & Meg are the main characters and they are both fairly well drawn. I like the secondary characters as well - only one of them is a caricature (Cam) but he's so minor it's not noticable.

This book is also funny. It's also surprising. I thought I was in for a fluffy rom-com, but this one has a real story, conflict and a lot of heart.

I was hooked on the first page of this work of art. I loved the concept of how this book was constructed.

Who here hasn't been enthralled by the beautiful videos people post of hand lettering? I definitely am raising my hand!

Claybourn does an amazing job of describing Meg's job, as a letterer, early on that I almost wanted to take my ugly left-handed scrawl to the test. She described the fonts and pen use wonderfully.

That's not all you get though, you get a very well written, plot hole driven story. I say plot hole in a good way. I enjoyed the way we were given only snippets of info. I recall thinking she better answer all of these questions for me!

And boy did she. I wont go into all the details of the summary, but I will say that I loved Meg and Reid.

Meg was charismatic and secure, most of the time, while Reid was stoic and blunt. Their opposite personalities really did attract and the meld was a masterpiece.

Claybourn did a great job at being descriptive in the right places. The inevitable sex was very tastefully done, without being vulgar. I appreciated that.

Overall, this is a great book to pick up. As a reader I felt the fluidity was very well balanced and I would definitely recommend this to lovers of a slow burn romance.

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this Advanced Reader Copy. All thoughts and insights provided are my own.

Meg is a calligrapher and artist who does custom journals and the like for clients. Reid is a quantitative analyst on Wall Street. Their paths cross (for the second time) when Reid comes to Meg's shop and confronts her about a hidden message he found in the wedding program of his ex-fiance: M-I-S-T-A-K-E. After a stilted and very awkward first and second outings, the two come to realize that her letters and his numbers go together beautifully, and their romance sparks. But, Meg doesn't do confrontation, and Reid is the middle of the biggest confrontation of his career right now. Can Meg resolve her friendship qualms /and/ the initial confrontations with Reid? Can Reid compartmentalize his work life and his personal life in order to really make his feelings for Meg stick? The slow-burn of this romance says yes...

Love Lettering is a fantastic, slow-burn romance! I stayed up way too late the other night reading it, and I couldn't wait to get to work the next day to see if New Director had gotten it from NetGalley, too. (She had!) In addition to the always-favorite slow-burn romance, Love Lettering is unique in that Meg learns some really important lessons that I think many women in their late 20's/early 30's struggle with: confrontation with friends, with bosses/clients, and with ourselves. It's not easy to grow as Meg finds out, but it comes out the better on the other side. And that's a lesson we all need to internalize.

My first Kate Clayborn book, and I’m an instant fan. This author evokes emotion. A smashing romance.

In Love Lettering we meet Meg, an artist of letters. She gave up working in weddings after she left a hidden message in a certain couples program. A year later said groom, Reid, our numbers guy, shows up with the decoded message looking for answers.

Meg and Reid stumble into an honest, turbulent, unexpected friendship and it was remarkable to experience their transition into more. Reid was just so good on paper, so put together. We were luckily shown under that perfect veneer and what a man, I just love him. Meg was all facets of a woman. I felt really proud to be reflected in her. There were pimples and day one of her period, in all its glory. There were vulnerabilities and strengths to each character and. Kate had them handle bumps in the road, without drama. Very refreshing.

There's also a bunch of wonderful women and their friendships to get around. This was also managed really well, in terms of their place in the flow of the book and how we can relate to their ups and downs. I know we wont be getting their stories. but I'd read them.

Now lets talk about Meg and Reid's chemistry. I’m blown away by the glow they had together, I felt all the right things at exactly the right times. I was mush for them, basically. The little unique details, the memorable love scenes. The fade away, I wanted more and I rarely say that.

This book was not only about passion, but passions. I enjoyed Reid’s job and his maybe aspirations and how they sat with his character development and the plot. Meg, her job and the lettering was a more predominant driver of the book. While I loved 80% of it (don't get me wrong), I do think it was too much and over described at times. That's whats frustrating me, it diluted the greatness, and probably whats held be back from being able to call this a favourite.

Anyways. he fell for her, she fell for him - Thats why we're all here. Read it.

(ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

I had really high hopes for book. I loved the premise and the idea of Reid and Meg working together to find "signs" throughout the city, but this book just fell short for me. I wanted to like it, but instead I felt really distant and uninvested from both characters. Their familiarty felt rushed to me and I needed more build-up, more character building (especially on Meg), and just MORE. The storytelling was witty and sometimes blatantly funny, which I enjoyed, I just didn't connect with either character despite my interest in the premise.

I really liked how the characters were written and enjoyed the journey of Meg and Reid with their initial akwardness growing into something deeper. I also liked the added side to Reid's story which I thought was in keeping with his character. The ending wrapped up the story well.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

This. Book. Is. Adorable. This is my first Kate Clayborn but it won’t be my last. I’ve been wanting to read this since I read the perfectly rom com blurb and I was lucky to receive an ARC. Love Lettering tells the story of Meg Mackenworth, a sweet hand-letterer who hides a word in a wedding program which spurs the entire story line; and Reid Sutherland, the stoic ex-groom who is a lot more than he seems (the SWOONSHING!!). Meg and Reid’s relationship, growing from awkward connections to friends to more is beautiful and sweet and a bit slow which I loved. It makes me happy to see growth of two characters so beautifully written in a short period of time, while still being believable, and Clayborn did it. There’s a bunch of fab side characters, a wild and unexpected twist, and lots of wandering NYC to find hand lettered signs which made me miss my previous home. I especially loved the way that Clayborn wrote about Meg’s imagination - how she sees letters and words and fonts in everything is gorgeously detailed. This book is a must read for sure.

As someone who loves lettering, I had to read this. I loved the added imagery of the different types of letters swirling in her head for different situations - those little details made this book unique. An artsy letters girl meets a math, numbers guy. What a fun combo! Romance readers will enjoy this sweet story.

I got this book from #Kensington Publishing Corp. and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am not quite sure how to rate this book. :/ I think I made a mistake by reading Goodreads reviews from people that got one part of the book so my hopes got high. A lot of people wrote that they are quite anxious to read the rest of the book and I was so happy that I got the whole book!

I genuinely must say that I was dazzled by Meg's, the main character, profession. I never frankly thought about people that create signs using calligraphy, be it on planners or walls or billboards or wedding programs. It was such a cool profession, so millennial and so very well incorporated within the today's world that I definitely applaud the author for this highlight of the story. Meg is an amazing character, amazing artist with whom I could without doubt be friends with. The way she sees the world, the way she emphasizes, details and transmits every relationship in her life looking them through signs is an original way of viewing the world we live in.

Reid, a mathematical prodigy, Wall Street analyst, a genius when it comes to numbers is, on first look, the opposite of Meg, but at the same time quite the same when you take in the fact that his numbers and her letters are their code and their relationship in itself. I don't want to write a lot about him, because you will definitely want to read more about him and Meg. I can tell you that for sure!

The thing that bothered me the most is that the first 50 % of the book, in my humblest opinion, was very slow. I think that everything that Meg talked about in the first half of the book could have been said in way less pages. At one point of reading I just kept looking how many more pages have I got left. And this indeed saddens me because the author's way of writing is in fact very beautiful in that simple kind of way that I personally like. But often, through this first part of the book, I got a very not so pretty feeling that the author only wanted to make the book a little bit longer. That is frankly my only complain - that everything that was happening was to slow for me.

I loved the twist, completely unexpected, I loved how Meg 'grew up' as a person and how she embraced herself and her work and her love and her relationships with all the characters in a book in a very normal way. When I say normal I don't mean boring. :) I mean that I could relate to everything that she was talking about, thinking about and handling the stuff that surrounded her.

I sincerely loved the epilogue and how things ended and how Meg's and Reid's life turned out. I also adored the array of characters about whom the author didn't write much but just the right amount so we can like or dislike them as well as they can effect Meg's life and her story.

Love Lettering is a heartwarming, adorable romance that is not only easy to love, but also relatable in terms of relationship struggles, business issues, and both sides of a long friendship (good and bad, the pretty and the ugly feelings). Engaging from the very beginning, the author eases us into the world of love and struggle, jealousy and support, and companionship.

Meg has a talent with hand-lettering, a skill that ended up helping her become the Planner of Park Slope. Depending on what clients she has, she makes custom planners, journals, wedding invitations and planners (though she technically only did that twice), and wall art. Of course she had to hit a huge creative block in one of the most important times concerning her career though. A company is offering to pick up a new designer and spotlight a planner, and they need three choices from each designer. Usually Meg would have no problem with this, but she can't seem to get over the block! That is, until he comes back and Meg tries to fix things with him and also help herself by asking him to accompany her around the city.

Reid hates New York and he hates people who don't say what they mean. So of course he wanted answers from the designer who hid a word in his wedding planner! He never expected her to ask him to join her around the city, to find things to inspire her creativity again. Seemingly cold and blunt, Reid slowly shows more of his awkwardness and kindness as they travel around the city making up games and trying new things.

This is honestly an amazing romance story! It had a great buildup, from strangers to friends to lovers (though tbh I found the lovers part came a bit too soon because I didn't get to the point of wanting them to kiss already, that rising tension and buildup). I loved every minute of them together!

The writing is also amazing. The descriptions, especially of Meg's work, were so detailed and well written that I couldn't get enough! I learned so much about hand lettering and yet also never felt like any information was being dumped all at once. That author brilliantly added everything we needed to understand Meg's passion and work without being overwhelming, which I really appreciate! I especially enjoyed that we got information on how Meg gets and handles clients, her work process, her materials and where she goes to buy them. We got the good and the bad about her job, not just the pretty parts to be appealing.

Speaking of appealing, the friendships in this book are honestly goals. Compassionate, kind, and honest friends who are there but also tell you when you're being stupid. We get conflict, growth, and love, the good and the bad parts of friendships. Fights and bonding, jealousy and support, needing space and being there in a time of need. It never felt artificial and we got the ugly feelings with everything else. The author was not afraid to get beneath the surface.

Now, as much as I enjoyed everything mentioned above, I think the games were my favourite. Not only were they fun and intriguing, they also helped us get a better understanding of Meg's mind (when it comes to how she gets inspired and what she sees when she looks at the city) and the friendship she and Reid were developing. I wanted to be beside them, helping point out signs and letters and colours.

Also, another review on Goodreads said something about conspiracy and action that took away from the story?? I honestly didn't see it. The only part I could think about is near the end, where a huge secret is revealed that has a lot of consequences. But if anything it added to the romance and even the friendships as it was an obstacle they had to overcome to get further in their relationship, and to be closer as friends.

Overall, this was a great read and I definitely recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Love Lettering! It took a few pages to get into, but once I started appreciating the little details I didn't want to put down my Kindle!

Meg who has a business doing hand lettering for planners and other stationary sees all of the beauty in fonts and signs and as a character I enjoyed her realness. I enjoyed the friendship aspect with her old friends and as she meets a childhood hero how she becomes friends with her too. And her blossoming relationship with Reid feels real life, all messy and complicated.

The book was a little bit of romance, friendship and personal growth all wound together beautifully to tell a wonderful story.

Love Lettering is about Meg, a hand-lettering designer in Brooklyn who hid a secret message in the invitations she made for a wedding. A year later, the groom (Reid, a maths genius) turns up with the invitation and tells her the wedding never happened. The unlikely pair become friends as the stroll the streets of New York, playing games with signs and letters. There was a big emphasis on games, codes, and letters and numbers in Love Lettering, which I personally found a bit tedious by the end. I also felt like the characters could have had more personality. However, if you're searching for a cute romance novel to read this winter, Love Lettering would fit the bill.

I received an ARC from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This is a book that just keeps on giving. I received the first chapter a few months ago as a teaser and boy did it get me hooked. Now that I've had the opportunity to read the full book, it's just...wow. This is the first book in a while that I've had to just sit back after I finished the last page and let it all soak in like a delicate but protective warm hug.

Almost one year ago, Meg hid a message in Reid and Avery's wedding programme. No one was supposed to find her message but it was her way of saying what she felt needed to be said. But then in walks Reid today with programme in hand and she knows he'd found the message. We are then swept up in the slow burn romance of the year.

I was dazzled and mesmerised and shocked and devastated everything in between. This book enveloped me completely over the 2 nights it took me to read it. It was clever and original and never ever rushed. Even the epilogue wasn't a slapped together 2 page happily ever after - it was slow and intentional and beautiful. Kate Clayborn has written a masterpiece and I want more!

This book was so good! I highly recommend it anyone who likes a good romance that is full of emotions and keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next. This book was a joy to read. Thank you Kensington Books via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this delightfully book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kate Clayborn's books always take me through a myriad of emotions. I can be laughing one minute and crying the next. Her character development is always on point and you get fully invested in the HEA. I highly enjoyed Love Lettering and can't wait to read more! A true talent of an author that I am glad I recently discovered!

This is a hard review to write because I want to get it right. Why I loved this. How extraordinary the writing is, the moments we were given, shown, even the ones that were hidden until they were ready to be told.

To me, this a love story for all the people who were told they were mistakes or were mistaken, and even felt it in themselves. Who never got a do-over, never got a second chance, or the opportunity to explain themselves. It’s a quiet story, in a way, one that just goes along with things.. until it doesn’t.

I’ll preface this, a little belatedly, by saying that if you don’t love a little whimsy in your novels, if you can’t use your imagination to bring something to mind, you might not always love this read. Fonts, lettering, as one might infer from the title, play a very big part. And I loved this. It offered a richness, a uniqueness, to the characters and this world — even if it is our own.

And speaking of the characters.. they were all, equally, in their own way, five stars. With exception to one obvious selection (Cameron) and one maybe not so obvious (not naming names, cough, Sibby, cough). Meg was a delight; watching her come into her own, every step she made, every mistake.. it was lovely. Reid, however, I almost have no words for. This is the most charming of all romance heroes. Not a grump, not an alpha, not a jerk. Just a giant, awkward, stoic creature. A total gentleman, a diehard math nerd, completely out of his element in almost every situation. He stole my heart, totally, and every interaction between them was just.. I want more.

“<I>Reid, did you make a joke?</I>“
“<b>Probably not. I’m not known for my sense of humour.</b>“

For such a quiet story, the plot of this did take me a bit by surprise, but in hindsight everything slots into place. Every t gets crossed, every i gets its dot. But the banter, the chemistry, the build up.. everything, was fantastic.

I hesitate to say more because, again, I really want to get this review right. I’m not sure I succeeded. Just know this book made me laugh, made me soft, made me gushingly share passages with a friend (who had already read it!) and, I mean, full stop, what better expresses a reader’s love than that? At this point, all I can say is : read this book.

Thank you soo much for the chance to read an ARC copy of #lovelettering from #netgalley. While I will admit this book took me some time to hook me in at the beginning, but after that I could not put it down as I wanted to see ehat would happen next with Meg and Reid and if "the hidden message" would lead to more. Highly suggest reading!

Warm, funny and endearing. Meg Mackworth, an up and coming hand letterer, is stunned to see the handsome Reid Sutherland walk in. As soon as she sees him her thoughts immediately plunge back to the wedding programs she designed for him and his fiancee. He couldn't possibly have seen the message that she accidentally/on purpose snuck into the programs....or could he?

This novel is for anyone that is in the mood for a light romance novel, especially if you love New York City, the amazing art of hand lettering and signs of all sorts.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Syrupy sweet, Love Lettering is a romance with a very, very slow beating heart.

The premise had potential and I really wanted to like it more than I did. The characters are endearing and charming, but the story is bogged down by poor pacing and semi- torturous, long winded inner monologue. I was surprised and blindsided by the sex scene as it seemed to not flow with the rest of the story. Cute and quirky storyline, la la la, then BOOM--hot and heavy. I trudged through and probably would have abandoned this book if it weren't a NetGalley copy. I appreciate the author's effort but the execution of this story left much to be wanted.

2 stars/5

Thank you to NetGalley for granting me a copy for review.