Seven Loves by Sandor Karacsony is a contemplative and lyrical piece of writing with some beautiful and truly evocative descriptions that bring the setting of a Micronesian island wonderfully to live and clearly demonstrates the author's love and appreciation for that part of the world.
The premise is seemingly simple, two strangers meet on a flight and feel an immediate connection and over the course of the next seven days we see how their relationship plays out in light of the previous traumas they have each experienced. The book also has a mystical element that I found intriguing, especially since it was linked to the culture of the region, something I know virtually nothing about but am now curious to explore further. The book does tackle some difficult topics, and I did find some of the graphic descriptions of domestic violence in particular to be hard hitting, it definitely worked if the intent was to abruptly pull me out of the beauty and calm of the island. In terms of the characters, Zoe, the main character was easy to understand and relate to, even if she was not always the most likeable, but Martin, the male main character was almost repulsive in his attitude and his actions so I did have to suspend my disbelief to roll with the idea of their relationship. I also found the ending a little confusing, I cannot say too much without spoilers but either it lacked some much needed clarity or it made the rest of the book seem irrelevant.
While I did not absolutely love the book, I am not sorry I picked it up, it definitely left me with things to ponder, especially the idea that our maps are not made of coordinates but rather of relationships, a lovely idea that really resonated with me and is definitely something that I will take with me.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This is a refreshingly strange and intriguing book that gives pause for deep thought and reflection. Zoe and Martin meet by chance on a plane in the Pacific and decide to spend a week together on a small island, encountering people and places that may or may not really be there. Some intense therapy between them takes place as they come to know each other, their pasts and the trauma they are running from, with an ending that is the most thought-provoking of all. Altogether a rewarding and fascinating read, as the island and its mysteries becomes a character in its own right, and the descriptions of landscape as well as of people is precisely well done with a clear and unusual style.

A chance meeting on a plane leads to a week together on a beautiful island, what’s not to like? This is a character-driven novel where each day brings revelations about the characters and moments of connection between them. The author creates an inviting setting that adds real atmosphere to the story. I also found the dialogue refreshingly natural and often quite witty. If you enjoyed the film Before Sunrise, there's a good chance you will like this book.

I think the IDEA was good, as was a lot of the writing but the conversations felt like a secondary thought to the setting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

"The forest keeps changing, the trail keeps changing, the river rocks keep changing. We never walk the same path twice."

Sandor Karacsony's Seven Loves is a debut indie novel set against the lush backdrop of Micronesia, and it’s clear that the author has a love for the setting. The environment and cultural details stood out for me. On a personal level, I especially enjoyed the moments where the story leaned into spirituality and island magic. Those elements were customary to me as someone from the South Pacific, though I expect this might be less appealing to those less familiar with Pacific-thinking and culture.

Where the book faltered for me was in its characters and writing. While the main character had moments of humour and relatability, the dialogue often felt stilted, and the point of view shifts sometimes broke the flow. I struggled with the love interest, whose behaviour made the romance difficult to invest in. There are also scenes of domestic violence that were uncomfortable to read, and I felt the resolution of those threads didn’t quite work.

That said, I do think Seven Loves will resonate with readers who enjoy atmospheric settings, dark romances, and stories that take unexpected turns. The concept is intriguing, the setting was gorgeous, and I’ll be interested to see how the author’s work develops in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sandor Karacsony for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting book, but not what I would personally call a very strong one. While the location was beautiful and the descriptions stood out, there were a lot of problems. Our main character, while privileged, is funny enough to like. The love interest on the other hand is a joke. I found the dialogue to be a bit stilted and poor, but hopefully a good edit before release will smooth that out. I am concerned that this was done on purpose to differentiate our two characters, but it did not work as a stylistic choice if so. The POV also switches back and forth constantly, sometimes without good reason. If the reason is to read into both characters heads, there’s better ways to do it. The resulting thoughts are often one line sentences that feel awkward and inconsequential. This is a case of showing, not telling. Show us how enamored they are, don’t just tell me the character is thinking “I love how funny you are”. I think perhaps this book isn’t for me, but instead for people who enjoy romances where two characters are attracted to each other for no good reason. This is apparently a beautiful girl and a bumbling man who comes on too strong, and drinks too much. A man who self admits to assaulting his previous girlfriend? There is also a very descriptive scene of domestic violence which was hard to read and then to make matters worse, both myself and the FMCs mother immediately notice DV traits in our main man. I’m not a fan.

The only pros of this book for me are the micronesia environment and information, I did love experiencing a place that’s a solid 3 day plane ride from me. I also enjoyed when the story took its more spiritual or magical turn, and the cultural discussions we got with locals. At the halfway point things get really weird, and I actually liked it. Shared hallucinations and weird island magic? Sign me up. But the subpar writing and bad character development made this book not very enjoyable to read. The concept is there and interesting, I just wish it was happening to different characters. The epilogue also kind of ruined any good will I had for this interesting weird plot.

Seven Loves is a quiet, lyrical novel that lingers in the spaces between words—forest paths, coral reefs, and silences shared by two strangers becoming something more. Each of the seven days unfolds like a meditation on love in its many forms, weaving memory, grief, and connection into something both intimate and expansive. Readers who enjoy slow, contemplative stories in the vein of Murakami or David Mitchell will find a lot to savor here. I really didn’t think that this was something special and have been recommending it.

i felt i learnt so much from this book but was also thinking so much from this book. and like within it there was love. and written with love to. like Sandor was bravely handing over so much to us. and in doing so there was heart and soul in this book.
i like the concept and the way its written. the forms and themes within each of them had me seeing so many different sides to things i didn't think of before. i went in wanting to know more about each of the seven titles we were given and often went on afterwards to find out more about the words and there possible meanings.
a well written but that flowed almost like poems do. it was like floating.
i truly had a lovely time in this book and cant wait for more from this author as this was my first time with him.
from the moment we meet Zoe and Martin i felt love for this book and for them. the wit, the lightness but somehow so much heart that is within the parts we are given of them was just spot on. and as we slipped from one character to another in almost the same moments i loved it.
and that moment he sees her on the plane well i was long passed in by then anyway but this sealed it. i.was.in.
but then as i got to know these two more i remembered i they were to spend this time together. so what if it was this time only. and thats when i knew i was truly invested!
great read.

Sandor Karacsony does a fantastic job in writing this book, it uses that element that I was looking for from the description. I really enjoyed this as a overall concept and how the characters were used to tell the story. It was so well written and enjoyed getting to go on this journey. I loved the use of the seven days and how love is formed.