I think that the writing was beautiful, and I really wanted to be connecting to the characters, but ultimately this book was incredibly boring.

A bit of a challenge. Malcolm has never told his niece Agnes the truth about her parentage-never given her the letter her mother had written. Now it's all coming up all these years later. This is told from multiple points of view and regrettably, I think, with a great deal of internal analysis (and external as well as many of the characters are therpists). I wanted to like this more than I did but found it labored and the characters less engaging than they could have been. And somehow less emotional than the underlying plot should have been. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Over to others.

5 stars

I enjoyed this book. It took me a long time to get to pick it up and start reading but once I did it was a relatively a quick read. Professor Malcolm, an Oxford Don, has felt guilt over not passing on a letter his sister gave to him wrt her daughters father. It's been fifty years. His neice has had problems of her own and has sort out help from a therapist. The Therapist has issues of his own as like Agnes he lost his mother at a young age. Joe, the therapist, feels drawn to Agnes and we learn about his complicated love life and current romantic situation. Agnes has had quite a bit of trauma to sort through. I think there are many layers to this book and believe its worth trying. Don't expect car chases but a slower description of people's inner lives. The ending is poignant.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Thank you to NetGalley, Grove Press and Jane Campbell for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Interpretations of Love.
This is a beautifully written story about secrets, misunderstandings and family dynamics. The rich vocabulary is outstanding but gets in the way of the basics of the storyline. I needed shorter chapters and more dialogue to help me get fully invested in the plot. Each chapter was written in first person. I found it hard to keep straight who was talking and describing their thoughts. If I started reading the middle of a chapter, I was lost for a bit until I could figure out who and what was going on. The characters needed more depth and I found they had some unlikeable traits. Especially infidelity and lack of respect hindered my attachment to them. I guess this is the way people behave. I enjoyed this story and these opinions are strictly my own.

Love, loss, regret. An uncle who withholds a secret/information from his niece that, once shared, alters everything. This book was a bit confusing at times and is rather melancholy. Not a favorite, but I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

The story explores how loss and tragedy shapes people, especially with respect to their future relationships, and their capacity to experience and show love. The overarching story focuses on Malcolm and Agnes, uncle and niece, and how a decision by Malcolm to withhold information following the unexpected death of his sister (Sophy, Agnes' mother) and her husband, will alter their lives and the lives of others. The story also explores the interconnections between people, as friendships, family relationships, and romantic relationships will bring the various characters together and break some of them apart or rearrange them into new combinations. The story deals with finding closure, and how well-intentioned actions by people can delay the finding of closure by others.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Jane Campbell’s debut novel, “Interpretations of Love”, invites readers into the intimate lives of eleven attendees at Dr. Agnes Stacey’s daughter’s wedding. Each character carries simmering tensions, and their paths intersect in unexpected ways.

Professor Malcolm Miller harbors a long-held secret related to Agnes’ parents’ tragic car crash. Dr. Joseph Bradshaw, once Agnes’ therapist, nurses an unspoken obsession. Agnes herself grapples with love affairs and her past.

Despite their ability to dissect others’ love lives, these characters struggle to recognize love within their own hearts. The origins of their attachments trace back to an English seaside town—a place where failures and secrets converge.

Campbell’s writing is beautiful and descriptive. She delves into loss, the past’s impact on the present, and the mysteries of connection. Each character slowly feels the force of love and loss, making this exploration intoxicating.

Interpretations of Love” weaves war’s aftershocks, parenting complexities, and multifaceted family bonds. Campbell’s incisive storytelling resonates, leaving readers pondering the many facets of love. 🌟📖✨

I would like to thank Net Galley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. This is a hard book for me to review. In one aspect, the storyline is simple. Agnes's daughter is being married, Agnes's uncle has a letter written by Agnes's long dead mother . The letter will change the lives of Agnes and several others at the wedding. The story line is written with a different POV for each chapter,. The timeline moves back and forth throughput the book, from World War 2 London, to present day. The writing is lyrical to read, but hard to follow.. This may not be a book for everyone.

This is a story about a chance encounter in May of 1941. This is a story about an undelivered letter left gathering dust. After Sophy Miller’s brief encounter, she gives her brother Malcom a letter to be delivered to Dr. Joseph Bradshaw. Her death bed request is that her brother deliver the letter. In the letter Sophy recalls the events of May 1941, describes her feelings and thoughts about the encounter and suggests the possibility that Joe may be the father of Sophy’s child. Malcom makes the decision to hold on to the letter. Malcom finally delivers the letter to Agnes, Sophy’s daughter, many years later. This decision has numerous ramifications for many people, i.e., Agnes, Joe Bradshaw, Clare, Molly and many others. This book is written beautifully. It has been a long time since I read a book where I stopped and reread some of the passages, which are both well written and thought provoking. Interpretation of Love by Jane Campbell is a good book.

I am very saddened to say that I did not like this book at all. I have never really remembered a time that I did not like a book from a publisher.
I was so distracted by the story and I could not get involved with the story. I would read and get totally lost and not know what I was reading. Very rarely has this happened to me. So again I am so sorry but I did not like it.

“Interpretations of Love,” a debut novel by octogenarian Jane Campbell, explores the intricate web of love, secrets, and familial misunderstandings. Set during the week of Dr. Agnes Stacey’s daughter’s wedding, the narrative delves into the lives of eleven attendees, each bringing their simmering tensions to the event. Agnes’ uncle, Professor Malcolm Miller, harbors a family secret since Agnes’ parents died in a car crash when she was young.

Dr. Joseph Bradshaw, distantly married into the family, secretly obsesses over Agnes, his former patient. Agnes herself is entangled in a potent love affair as she returns to her ex-husband’s home for the wedding. The novel unfolds through multiple points of view, revealing each character’s struggles with love and their emotional isolation. The central theme revolves around a letter from Agnes’ mother, Sophie, written before her untimely death. This letter, withheld by Malcolm for fifty years, holds the key to understanding the characters’ thwarted attachments.

While the book features beautiful passages and lyrical language, the multiple perspectives and extensive self-analysis can make it feel disjointed and melancholic. Despite its accomplished writing, the narrative’s introspective nature may not appeal to all readers. Overall, “Interpretations of Love” offers a profound exploration of love and regret, reflecting the missed opportunities of life. Though it has moments of poetic beauty, its heavy introspection and melancholic tone might not suit every reader’s taste.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Interpretations of Love explores the tangled web of family dynamics, relationships, and the meaning of love in different contexts. It begins with Malcolm Miller the deaths of his sister and her husband, and the domino effect of these events on his own life, his sister's daughter's, and the rest of their family's.

Campbell's writing is analytical and intellectual, reading more like non-fiction. Some parts of her writing make you as the reader ponder your own experiences and position in family dynamics and the meaning of love and affection. However, the format of the story itself (framed as vignettes from different individuals' perspectives) confused me and my mind drifted off somewhat while reading. It took me quite some time to fully visualize the different characters and figure out where I was in the story. Overall, I found it difficult to finish the story.

Beautifully written with deep emotions and complex characters plus a compelling plot premise. The story wandered and never firmly clicked on the plot that would have been intriguing to explore further. A difficult read for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I DNF'd this book at 15%. The writing style was not for me and it made it very hard to get into the story.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy to review.

I found this novel to be an interesting slice of life story. The story follows a family through some traumatic events and the secrets that families keep.

The novel is intriguing and interesting and I found the characters to be believable and easy to relate to.

I will look for other novels by this author.

Interpretations of Love is a story of three very well written characters which explores love and family. Agnes lost her parents when she was a small child. Her uncle Malcolm who helped raise her after her parents died. Our third character is Joe is a psychiatrist who has feelings for Agnes.

The story is told in first person by each character and we are able to get to know each character and how love can manifest itself very differently in each of their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jane Campbell’s debut novel Interpretations of Love is insightful, her writing is beautiful, and very descriptive. The book explores love and family and what each means to them and the different forms love can take in one family.

As one person said this book is very touching on the many different forms love can take, Interpretations of Love is the story of a letter and our endless search for the stories that we have lost.

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Interpretations of Love" is a novel that will stay with you long after the last page. Jane Campbell's prose is beautiful, and full of emotion. The way she portrays the lasting effects of a single tragedy on a family across generations is poignant and thought-provoking. We see how past hurts can shape the lives and relationships of those involved for the reminder of their lives.

Even though the writing is beautiful, it is also a bit heavy. This is not a quick read. The novel is a slow burn, and the lack of dialogue can make it a slog at times. The characters are very introspective and the reader has a true understanding of their feelings. They are not very relatable, however. There is no casual conversation or moments of joy in the book. The writing is very formal, and this makes the characters feel aloof.

In the end I would say that "Interpretations of Love" is a double-edged sword. It's a beautifully written story about how different people interpret a tragedy and how they express their love, but it is at times difficult to get past the heavy elaborate prose.

This was an interesting read on love and family. There was a lot of characters to keep up with but each had their own POV to tell their story. This book is very different and has some beautiful hidden messages,.

I would recommend this book to the right audience.

I appreciate that I’ve received this ARC from NetGalley and I also appreciate the author for debuting a book for us readers to possibly enjoy. I am not a writer and I can’t even imagine the time and sacrifice a writer makes to publish a book that they put their heart and soul to. I’ve attempted to finish this book because this was my first ARC book. I was excited and ready to get lost in my own little world of reading haven.

The first few pages, I immediately felt like I was lost. I didn’t understand which character was telling the story. I thought it maybe just me being distracted so I had to go back and read the pages prior. I told myself, “buckle down and pay attention!” More pages go by and I was still lost. That’s when I started realizing the dialogue and the lack of character development was the issue causing me to be distracted. So much that I’ve think about what I’ll cook dinner, what’s my week’s schedule like, who’s texted me, or if I should browse social media instead. Not a good start when your mind starts to wonder off from reading.

I tried to read roughly 40 more pages and that’s when I finally had to tell myself “who are you kidding-you’re not going to want to finish this book.” Guilt and relief was the emotions I’ve felt. In the end, I had to forgive myself for the guilt of sending this book on the DNF library but I’m proud of myself for trying.