This book captures a very French essence. There are no unexpected events in the plot. The aim is to explore the simple, everyday life and the reflections of a 17-year-old American girl studying in France.

Much of the book focuses on the limitations of language, the ways we communicate, and the considerable amount of information that gets lost in translation and human interactions. I really liked the title of this book, as it often represents what we need to do to be understood. It is interesting how even in the small details, such as enjoying dancing because it is a moment when no one is talking, we can see how much this experience affects her life.

During this trip, K falls in love and experiences lots of new things. She reflects deeply on her family, her faith, her traditions, and contemplates who she was in the past and who she aspires to become moving forward.

I’m not familiar with the author, but throughout the reading, I felt as if I was engaging with something deeply personal. It felt like reading someone’s teenage diary and uncovering all their hidden stories.

I really enjoyed the read. Even though it wasn’t one of my favorites, I think it’s one of those books that comes to mind from time to time. There’s a lot to reflect on here.

Thanks to Somesuch and NetGalley for the DRC!

This was absolutely gorgeous. As someone who does not typically enjoy romances nor poetry, I was so pleasantly surprised by this. The coming-of-age story felt all too familiar, yet also otherworldly, and the intriguing composition left me constantly impressed. The themes of defining one’s self in youth, amplified by a limitation on expression through language, resonates deeply. For better or worse, this will take you back to being 16, to first falling in love, and continuously have to confront the passage of time. Beautiful work.

I wanted to love this one but I think perhaps being 16 still feels like it wasn't that long ago and I'm not too keen to repeat it through literature just yet. Having done various language exchanges over the years, this sexy, sultry summer really did not convince me, however stylistically it was written.

Use The Words You Have feels like a fever dream, a hazy recollection of lazy summer days. Unfortunately, beyond that atmosphere, it doesn’t offer much else. There’s little to no background, almost no dialogue, and page after page of poetic descriptions about doing nothing.
While I usually enjoy novels that sound like poetry, this one went too far even for me. Hopefully, in the end, it finds the right audience.

Use the Words You Have is a quietly powerful debut that explores language, identity, and desire with thoughtful, poetic prose. Set in Brittany, it follows an American student’s summer immersed in French and the complexities of a subtle, introspective romance.

The book shines in its atmosphere and character exploration, offering richly drawn scenes and an authentic sense of place. The pacing is slow and deliberate, focusing on mood and interiority rather than action, which might not be for every reader.

Some might find the romance understated or the plot lacking in tension, but if you appreciate literary fiction with emotional nuance and a strong sense of voice, this is a rewarding read.

It’s a solid 4 stars from me, a book that lingers without being flashy or overwhelming.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this eARC.

It took me a while to get into this novel, as it's written in a very descriptive almost stream of consciousness style of writing, but when I reached about a quarter of the way through, I was fully invested in this story.

Use the Words You Have reminded of a mix between a Sally Rooney novel and Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman in the best way, though I feel like this story has a more optimistic look at experiencing your first real heartbreak. It's more focused on the beautiful art and poetry you can make from having experienced love or your own coming of age, less on the bittersweet feeling of having loved someone and lost them. In fact, there's a passage in this novel that addresses how people often separate even when there's no real conflict between them and that's completely normal. Their lives just go in different directions, and they're just left with the impression they made on each other.

This book read like you were peering into someone's mind and looking through all of their old, faded memories. The timeline jumped back and forth as the main character thought about her childhood, her time being seventeen in France, and how that one summer stayed with her even into her late thirties. I also liked that the author touched on the fear of never having such intense experiences again after living so fully in her youth.

* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review

This book is undeniably pretty. The prose feels sculpted, almost fragile. But by the halfway point, I realized I wasn’t really feeling anything. It’s kind of like staring at a beautiful painting for too long, eventually, your brain starts to wander.

I think some readers will absolutely love how meditative and lyrical this is, but for me, the lack of momentum made it tough to stay engaged. It’s one of those reads where you admire it more than you enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Somesuch for a copy of this ARC! ❀

This tells the story of an American schoolgirl who is in France for the summer as part of an immersive language program and falls in love with a local.

They have to speak entirely in French and find it harder to communicate fully even though they know the structure and vocabulary which mirrors how she is coming to experience love and lust for the first time and learning what it actually feels like and not just what it is intellectually.

Some of the writing was absolutely beautiful but some was detached and dull, which I took as a representation of how inconsistent and unpredictable every day can be when you’re young at a pivotal part of your life. But as a reader I found that reduced my enjoyment and look me out of the book.

3..5 rounded up to 4

It's kind of hard to review this because I haven't read anything like it before. I liked it... I'm just not sure how much I liked it. Don't be surprised if you see my rating change within the next few days because honestly I could see myself staying at a 4 or going down to a 3. Maybe staying at a 3.5 would work too.

Use the Words You Have follows US student K as she goes on a study abroad trip to France. There she meets a local and begins a sexual relationship with him.

This is a "no plot just vibes' sort of book as a core theme of the book is living in the moment. So a lot of the novel is K expressing how she feels, describing a place, or describing her relationship. That's fine with me, those are my type of books after all. I love books with so much room for interpretation and this didn't disappoint in that regard.

Which, props to the author, the writing is stunning in this. The author has such a poetic way with words that it really makes you feel the emotions of the character and each sentence has so much meaning packed into them.

There's two things that I'm hung up on though. The beginning of the novel and the characters themselves. The beginning felt like an entirely different novel. I feel like the author was finding their groove during this points as the sentences were just choppy and the descriptions fell flat for me. It got a lot better as it went on, but looking back it just feels jarring when putting them together. I also didn't love the characters. I felt like K was missing a sort of edge to differentiate her from other "lit-fic weird women" protagonists. Her inner descriptions were great, but it felt more like the author than K herself if that makes sense.

If it sounds interesting, honestly give it a try. I'll probably come back to it to help solidify my thoughts more. I'm certainly interested in keeping up with author Kimberly Campanello. I think she has the potential to grow and become a lit-fic icon.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Somesuch for providing me an ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are entirely my own*

This was a story of awakening and love during a European summer, all through very poetic and abstract vignettes and flashes. I am admittedly a sucker for these kinds of stories, especially in the summer, and I enjoyed this book all in one sitting. The musings were broad but at points very impactful, and there was a real feeling to the world she constructed (both in France and in the States). I also thought the depiction of learning a language was smart and immersive. If you need your fix after Call Me By Your Name, this book is a good place to start.

Thank you for providing me this book! My review will be included in my June Reading Wrap-Up on TikTok.

The book has potential and reminded me of Mrs. Batuman, The Idiot. But the lack of defined convictions and sharp character makes it all seem like an unpolished work, unfortunately.

‘Use the Words You Have’ by Kimberly Campanello is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It is chopped, poetic, lyrical, and reflective.

Do not expect explosive moments in this novel. It is rather a compilation of “moments in time” captured and contemplated.

To quote the author, “The story is a series of images and sensations remembered and imagined, which makes it a poem.”

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC.

I really liked the concept but it felt hard to keep track of the point of views at times. It was beautifully written. I loved the final layer of reflection when the narrator went back to visit the place of such a significant love. Bittersweet and nostalgic.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Use The Words You Have by Kimberly Campanello is expected to be released on June 23rd, 2025.

This book discusses the journey of US student K to Breton as part of an abroad program of sorts. While on this trip she begins a sexual relationship with a local man, beginning her exploration of what it means to truly feel alive in a place that isn’t home.

This book does fantastically in certain parts, then falls flat in others. During the first 30% of this novel, the sentence structure felt extremely choppy yet too wordy. Scenes were described very flatly, which left more to be desired. This felt true for describing characters' actions as well, and made their decisions feel more robotic to me. At the same time, there were sections with beautiful imagery and descriptions of the emotions K was feeling throughout her trip. This inconsistency would bring me out of the story sometimes and make me wonder why these inconsistencies were so prevalent throughout the story.

Upon researching the author I found that they have an extension history with teaching creative writing and working with poetry, which I assume is the answer behind the choppier sentence structure in some parts of this novel. I think in isolation this couldv’e worked for the story, but as a literary fiction it just falls flat for me.

I think this book really thrived during the last 30 or so pages, where I feel the most feeling is described. You can tell the author put a lot of care into certain sections, but I just wish those other sections didn’t fall so flat. The brief outline was there in some sentences, which made me feel like this book just needs more time and care to truly develop. I am interested in possibly giving this a second read upon release to see the finalized structure, but I think 2.5/5 is where my rating falls.

In Conclusion: Beautiful potential, just needs more structure building to thrive.

Again, thank you so much NetGalley for providing this ARC!
* Any thoughts or opinions provided in my review are mine alone*

At its heart, "Use the Words You Have" is a profound exploration of presence—what it means to be fully embodied in a moment, a place, a relationship. Campanello suggests that true coming-of-age is not a linear progression but a radical openness to experience, an embrace of vulnerability that allows for genuine transformation.

this book ATE. it said “here’s a steamy, messy, slightly unhinged romance set in the middle of nowhere france” and i said “say less.”

from the first page i knew i was in for it. the writing?? stunning. like, every line felt like it was trying to seduce me personally. i was highlighting like i was being graded on it. if you’re the kind of person who reads a sentence and just sits there blinking like “why is that so hot and depressing at the same time,” this is for YOU.

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so what’s it about?
girl meets guy in the middle of a sticky french summer. they talk, they hook up, they spiral. that’s it. there’s no big twist or plot bomb—just vibes, inner chaos, and a whole lotta lust dressed up in philosophy. it’s giving “romance, but make it existential.”
and it works?? like weirdly well??

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why i gave it 5 stars:
• the prose: immaculate. poetic without being annoying. it’s sexy and sad and smart all at once.
• the main character: unwell in the best way. so much overthinking. so many weird choices. i loved being in her messy little brain.
• short & sharp: the kind of book that doesn’t waste your time but still leaves you sitting in silence when it ends like “oh.”
• literary but not boring: it feels deep without being pretentious. and it’s horny. like real horny. in a good, not weird way.

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final verdict:
don’t ask me to explain the point. i don’t KNOW. all i know is it gave me feelings. 5/5. no notes. more people need to read this.

Unlike anything I have ever read before. The writing style took some getting used to but once I fell into its rhythm the story started to flow easily. It was interesting how such simple sentences could pack so much meaning behind them. I felt the intensity of every word written in this story. I’m glad I came across this, it’s nice to switch things up and this did just that.

I found this to be an erotic literary gem. The words are enticing and full of heat and meaning. I was entertained while reading it, and it flowed beautifully. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.