As a Wordle girlie, I squealed when I got approved for this ARC.

If you’ve ever wondered how Wordle could spark romance, A Five Letter Word for Love answers that question with a charming, albeit somewhat predictable, love story. Set against the quaint backdrop of Prince Edward Island, the novel follows Emily Evans, an extroverted receptionist dreaming of a bigger life, and her seemingly grumpy coworker John, whose settled, small-town existence couldn’t be more different from hers.

What makes this story unique is in the use of Wordle as the medium for a connection. Emily and John share small pieces of their lives through the daily puzzles, building a bond that is sweet and refreshingly ordinary. A little subdued, quiet moments mark their interactions; Emily, needing to break loose from her career rut, and John's mystery yet dependability-their chemistry is palpable, if understated.

Emily is a vibrant protagonist who isn't afraid to take risks and pursue her dreams, which alone makes her journey compelling, even in the parts where the pacing feels rushed. Her determination to find fulfillment beyond her comfort zone is inspiring; the ending leaves you wishing her story had gone just a bit further. Meanwhile, John's quiet strength and his unexpected moments of sweetness gave him an enigmatic appeal, even though some of his motivations remain puzzling-what did "court" mean, anyway?.

It's a novel of self-discovery, as much as it is one of love, and it fails to live up to the promise it holds. Parts of the story, such as the character development of Emily, have been undernourished and could be given more depth. The romance in it is sweet but at times predictable, leaning toward familiar tropes without adding a distinct twist.

For readers looking for a light, small-town romance with a little quirk, A Five Letter Word for Love is a cozy and enjoyable read. Nothing too out of the ordinary, perhaps, but with its down-to-earth characters and some clever moments with Wordle, it is an endearing debut worth exploring.

Amy James crafts a heartfelt story in A Five Letter Word for Love, where we follow Emily’s journey of self-discovery and unexpected romance. While the book was enjoyable overall, I have to admit that Emily’s character was occasionally grating. Her quirks often felt more frustrating than endearing, and at times, I found myself questioning John’s feelings toward her—did he even like her all that much? Their dynamic didn’t feel as emotionally convincing as I’d hoped.

As an avid Wordle player, I was immediately intrigued by the title and loved the subtle nods to puzzles and wordplay woven throughout the story. Beyond that, what truly shines in this book is the overarching theme: happiness isn’t tied to achieving some idealized version of life. Instead, it’s about appreciating and finding joy in what you already have. James delivers this message beautifully through the plot’s twists and turns. It’s a comforting reminder that perfection isn’t the goal—contentment is.

The pacing and storyline kept me engaged, and I found myself reflecting on my own priorities while reading. Fans of cozy contemporary romance with a deeper message will likely enjoy this one, even if they don’t love every character. I’ve noticed other reviewers on NetGalley share similar thoughts about Emily’s personality being a bit polarizing, but that didn’t take away from the book’s charm for me.

Overall, while not perfect, A Five Letter Word for Love was a sweet, satisfying read. It’s a solid choice for anyone looking for a story that’s less about the fantasy of love and more about its grounding, realistic aspects.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

I have tried to read this book several times and I find the main character annoying. I haven't figured out if it's her lackluster approach to life or if it's something else. I will try it again in the future, but I did not finish as of the date of this review.

Emily is 27 years old, and she has no idea what she's doing with her life. She has big dreams of having a creative career in the big city, but she's stuck working at an auto shop as a receptionist on Prince Edward Island. Her only company is her coworker John, who couldn't seem to care less about her. The only thing she has going for herself is a 300+ day streak on Wordle. One day, she's forced to ask John for help on the Wordle when she's stuck on her last guess. This sparks a romance between the two of them that leads Emily to question what she really wants in life and step outside her comfort zone. The setting of Prince Edward Island in this book was so picturesque, and I loved imagining all of the scenery. I also enjoyed the small town vibes and the relationships Emily formed with her elderly clients. I found Emily to be quite a relatable character at times, because she's very ambitious but she's not quite sure what she wants to do with her life yet. I think this is something a lot of 20 somethings can relate to. However, she was a bit immature at times and didn't seem to really think through her decisions, which annoyed me. The romance between Emily and John lacked chemistry. John didn't seem to like Emily that much and he seemed a bit rude to her. I did like the overall message of the book though, which is that your don't need to have some big fancy job or glamorous life in order to be happy.

This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Definitely worth the read!

The premise of this book was adorable - two coworkers bonding over Wordle, developing a friendship and, ultimately, a romance. The characters were fairly likable - Emily, the main character, goes on a journey of finding what she truly wants and prioritizes in life. I think the execution of the book is what fell flat - although both main characters were in their late twenties, sometimes they felt younger than that. But, I think a lot of the thoughts that young adults have in their late twenties are articulated in this book - because do we really want what we want, or is there something bigger and better out there for us? Sometimes Emily & John’s romance seemed to have a weird pace and their communication was alllll over the place. Overall, it was an enjoyable, cheesy read. The writing style seems like a new writer, (it is a debut novel) but for a sweet read for someone who likes Wordle, I recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s Publishing for the ARC of this book to read.

What a creative, pretty unexpected premise in the romance world! I really enjoyed the idea that the two main characters bonded over working on Wordle daily. The entire story is set in a small town with quirky characters, which can sometimes get a little too saccharine, but not here. I appreciated the way that the side characters helped develop the stories of our two main characters.

Also, I deeply appreciate that it wasn't insta-love for the two. Their relationship developed at a pretty healthy pace and in a healthy way. I didn't feel that there was anything particularly unique about either main character - they both seemed to be just...normal people, making it through the world. (Maybe that's a selling point for you!)

Five letter word for this story: COMFY.

Definitely recommend! Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an advance copy of this book.

2.75 stars//
Emily is feeling lost with no sense of direction as she continues her life as a receptionist in a small town in PEI. She constantly dreams of doing something bigger with her life and finding her purpose. The only thing she has going for her? A wordle streak that is close to 365 days. Through her passion for completing the daily puzzle, she starts to get closer to the grumpy, quiet mechanic at her job, John, and begins to find more connections on the island. Through her relationship with John, she begins to gain the courage to chase after the life she wants, a life she wishes to feel proud of with plenty of friendships and a job she feels she can do well. Following her passion for museum design and event planning, she applied to NYU for a degree in museum science and an internship at the MET. Soon enough, she'll have to decide what her definition of success is and how she should chase it.

This book was not the match for me as I was bored enough to where I was put into a reading slump. I did finish it months later, but I did struggle to get through it. This book being in first-person did not work for me and I was not a fan of the fourth wall between the reader and Emily being broken consistently. It felt like it was a ploy to try and get the reader to be more invested by having that relationship with the MC, but it just turned me off. Emily's personality is an acquired taste and for me, I was annoyed by it. Many of her choices as a character seemed out of character and just a way to keep the story going. John as the love interest had a good start, but even in the highest part of their relationship, it felt like there was barely anything to him past liking wordle and car racing. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of this book, I'm sure some people would like this as there are cute moments and some might have the same humor as the narrator.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

There were some things about the plot that I really enjoyed, but there were also a lot of things that fell short for me? I feel like this book gave me Wattpad in terms of the style of writing. I didn't really love the romance either, it sort of fell flat for me, but the one thing that shined through with this book is the idea of growing up and having these dreams when you're younger, but struggling with what you wanted when you were younger, but also coming to terms with what you want now, without feeling like a failure. I do wish there was more of a resolution with the conflict with her college friends. Overall, this book was okay, not my favorite. 3 or 2.75 stars.

A cute little romance set on Prince Edward Island, of Anne of Green Gables fame. While the concept was cute and overall it was a fun read, the dialogue and emotion felt flat overall.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 stars:

so like for the first 50% was rough, i really did not like how Emily (FMC) kept going on and on about how big dreams can be and so unhappy. like i genuinely did not like her and contemplating DNF.

i love wordle. i loved her strategy and the plot of her with John (MMC).

after 50% once the story picked up and then kind of focused on all the good that was surrounding her, it was easier and i was more motivated to read.

i’ll also add that the second half of the book made up for the first half.

thoughts:
-John is a good book boyfriend
- i love the old people in this book
- i did crack up a lot while reading this book
- some parts of the book were directed towards the reader which was an experience

What’s more niche, contemporary, and having a moment than Wordle, other than Pickleball? Emily, 27 and working as a receptionist at a car mechanic shop while aspiring to a more intellectual and lucrative career, is very focused on keeping her streak. The position leaves her with plenty of free time at work, and emotional bandwith after to take on projects like volunteering to check in on elderly neighbors in her touristy town of Prince Edward Island. When Emily’s car breaks down, John comes to the rescue, and she’s surprised to discover that the surly, hot, car mechanic is also into playing Wordle. They begin comparing tips over lunch break, and as she and John spend time together, at work, and not, they find more common ground.

In an effort to make the best of her situation: no boyfriend, a low-paying job, disconnect from the friends she can’t relate to, and career derailment, Emily takes on caretaking side work and contemplates that as a potential career change. She also begins volunteering at a the local musuem, which focuses on the town’s history of coopersmithing. She finds a way to make barrels exciting, but her evil supervisor takes the credit for all Emily’s ideas and successes, and even fires her to bring on paid workers to do the volunteer job. Emily applies for museum curation programs and is selected for a prestigious internship, but by the time this opportunity rolls around, she’s in a relationship and has forged other bonds and friendships in the small town community she was originally dismissive of.

The writing is very clever–James explains Wordle succinctly, and weaves it creatively through the story. Emily is smart and logical, and also uses Wordle as a daily horoscope of sorts, believing that it’s highly relevant to her life in a way John scoffs at. She uses her current situation or state of mind for her starting guess, and celebrates or groans when the solution feels spot on. Emily is compassionate, if a bit chaotic and spontaneous, but she’s complex; John’s character feels much more one-dimensional by comparison. She seems willing to give up everything to maintain a very new relationship, and the ending is neatly resolved. There is chemistry and passion, but profanity and intimate details are absent and off the page

Remniscience of Pickleballers with it’s obsessive attention to detail for a competitive passtime, A Five-Letter Word For Love inspired me to start a streak for the new year (so far, I got two days in a row, and then four, before missing an answer–my success rate is just over 80%).

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #AFiveLetterWordForLove via #NetGalley, courtesy of #Avon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyage for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I found this to be a fun and easy read, more of a story of self discovery than romance. There was one error with a Wordle (her starting word was all gray but the correct answer had a letter from her first guess) but that's me being nitpicky.
Emily doesn't know what she wants from life, but she feels like her current place in a small town on Prince Edward Island isn't it. She wants more, but is uncertain what more looks like.
She bonds with a grouchy mechanic at her work over Wordle, and their daily breaks to play the game grow into friendship and then romance.
Meanwhile, she's trying to figure out the rest of her life.
I won't go into spoilers, but the conflict isn't that conflict-y, and since this is a romance you get the expected HEA.

I found Emily to be likeable, and her interactions with the locals to be fun and endearing. John was a little one-dimensional, but their dialog was snappy.
Overall I did very much enjoy this book. if 3.5 stars was an option, that's where I would land.

3 stars.

"A Five-Letter Word for Love" by Amy James is a goofy and over-the-top grumpy/sunshine romance centering on Wordle, but I enjoyed it for the most part. It's a relatively quick, very easy read that is sure to cleanse your palate. Emily and John are the total opposites of one another, but they are both prickly in their own ways. I understood Emily's issues probably more than I should admit. I think the quirkiness of their (eventual) romance is what kept me reading and not totally DNFing, but I can see why a lot of readers might take issue with some of the things that happen in this story. There are a few eyebrow-raising moments that could have ejected me from this ride expeditiously, but I think author Amy James recovered well from her stumbles. There is a little bit of a lack of chemistry between Emily and John early on, but again, the longer the story goes on, the more their chemistry becomes apparent. Actually, while writing this, I think I talked myself down a half of a star because Emily was willing to move heaven and earth for John and he definitely wouldn't have done the same for her??? I just went back and re-read some of the ending and I convinced myself to lower my rating, lol. Just be aware that this book HEAAAAAVILY focuses on Wordle, like, A LOT. Emily almost has several tantrums because she either can't get the word or forgets to do her daily puzzle. Again, a little quirky and odd, but it's ultimately harmless. Heck, I have a 1200+ day Duolingo streak going, and I certainly don't want to break that! Anywho, this book is fine, light, you could do worse.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy James, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm kind of amazed that there is now a book based around Wordle. While it was kind of fun to see it be part of the plot for a little bit, it got a little bit repetitive after awhile. This book was decent, nothing amazing and not bad at all. A perfect example of a 3 star book to me.

While there is a romance there it's not my favorite and this book really does focus more on Emily and what she wants to do with her life. So if you are looking for a romance book I don't know if I would pick this one.

This was such a cute and cheesy book! The fmc is an extroverted, upbeat (idealistic) person who is trying to find her dream job, not realizing that sometimes dream jobs are right in front of you (AND don't have to be overly grand or lofty). The whole book focuses on her obsession with the game "Wordle", as shown with the cute cover, and I found it fun and quirky. I really enjoyed the funny writing style, as if the character was talking to you. I felt like it brought me into the story more. Every now and then the fmc was frustrating with how judgy she could be, but I thought it also humanized her, so I was able to overlook that.

OH, I loved that the book is set in Prince Edward Islands and there were so many Anne of Green Gables references!!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Who would've thought that Wordle would become so popular that it inspired a romance? What a creative novel! I absolutely loved it. If you are a fan of wordle -- and romance, I highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC and ALC.

As a total word nerd who loves doing the NYT word games with my true love, I adored this sweet story. I defintely recommend it!

I didn’t really click with this book. The concept was super cool and I think it was a great idea but the execution just didn’t really match my tastes. The protagonist, and narrator of the story, annoyed me. It wasn’t that she was dislikable as much as it didn’t match my preferences. I think many people will love this story but I am not one of them. I never got into it and even once I did it fell short of my expectations and I never was fully invested in it.