I enjoyed this book the more and more it went on. At the start I did think "Oh, just another story about a break-up" but as I got to know the characters more and more I was really rooting for our (unnamed) protagonist to find her way... an odd thought considering this book is a break-up told in reverse.

The concept did feel a little disjointed at times (my main reason for not rating it higher), however it made me smile to discover the origins of tidbits mentioned earlier in the book.

The writing style is intimate, the author metaphorisising the MC's emotions so well that this would be easy to mistake this for a memoir. The mental health aspect of Out of Love was both touching and relateable. It feels important, and was refreshing, to read a story about how poor mental health can affect a relationship without it being the main focus of the book. And will any of us forget the "Are you a banana?" question posed in the therapist's office?

This was a slow burner and I definitely enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first, and I enjoyed some chapters more than others. A chapter towards the end (the beginning?) where the protagonist is preparing to move from Ireland to England is beautifully written. A love letter to Ireland and how hard it is to leave the place you love, leave home, even when you're doing it for a reason.

I listened to the audio version of this and I can definitely see myself coming back to this for a second read in future (not something I usually say initially, though I do often end up re-reading stories I love). It feels like the kind of book where you'll pick up new things each time you read it, probably due to the nature of it told in reverse. I even read another reviewer say they re-read it front to back which sounds like a fun idea!

A great concept, but thankfully so much more than that too. This emotions in this are visceral and relateable. Reading this felt like a refreshing way to read about heartbreak.