Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

It’s been seventy five days, and Amy still doesn’t know how to function. Seventy five long days and Amy doesn’t know how she’s supposed to live without her best friend Julia. But she has to live, because living without Julia is her punishment for letting Julia die. And so Amy struggles along, barely able to bear her parents’ phony concern, endure the trials of school, and weather her shrink’s uncomfortably probing questions. Angry and frustrated, Amy starts writing letters to Julia instead of journaling as her shrink suggested. But with that writing comes reflection and remembrance, and Amy starts to realize Julia may not have been the perfect friend Amy held her up to be, that there is a limit to what she can control or change, and that the future also deserves a chance.

Scott has continually been one of my favorite authors for her incredible writing, and she does not disappoint with Love You Hate You Miss You. Scott departed from her usual unique teen romances, as in Bloom and Stealing Heaven, with Living Dead Girl to tackle more intense and serious topics. Even though the idea of Love You Hate You Miss You isn’t quite as original as Scott’s previous novels, since the “teen doesn’t know how to live once best friend dies” storyline has already been explored, this novel is still a moving and gripping peel into a mind devastated by loss. Amy is a realistic character, and her grief is compounded by insecurity, stubbornness, and loneliness. Her desires and despairs are surprisingly easy to relate to, because I’m sure everyone of us has visited a part of Amy’s life at least once, if not in such extreme a way as she. Amy’s struggles are so heartbreaking, and the reader really feels for her because of all she’s gone through. I find the human mind so fascinating, so I appreciate how Scott has broken down Amy’s head into surprisingly simple elements with such great insight. I like how Love You Hate You Miss You is much more than just a grief story; it’s a contemporary psychological novel that explores the effects of our choices through the span of time. I completely fell in love with this novel and commend Scott for her delicate writing and superb storytelling.

Fans of Scott’s earlier writing in Bloom, Stealing Heaven, and Something, Maybe will likely enjoy Love You Hate You Miss You even is the plot is so much different than Scott’s romances. This novel should also be read by fans of Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe, The ABC’s of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro, and the very similar Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers. Love You Hate You Miss You is my new favorite from Scott, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store next.

Rating: 4.75

Review copy from author Elizabeth Scott