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Love Is a Number
When her beloved boyfriend Huck dies, Eloise is wrecked. The ultimate golden couple, she will never find love as perfect ever again. But then Eloise begins to unravel her 'perfect' relationship and finds she has questions. And so, angry and sad, she texts Huck's phone as if he can receive her messages from beyond the grave. She never expected to get a reply ... Dan is travelling Spain in one last hurrah before uni and real life kick in. He's ready for love, but not of the casual kind. He's not met a girl that's set his world alight. But he's ready for her when she decides to make an appearance. One night on his travels, Dan discovers an abandoned phone. He pockets it, then forgets about it. He never expected it to ring ...
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2013
6 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Lee Monroe
5 books259 followersLee Monroe was born in London, but spent a short time living by the sea with her family when she was a teenager. She moved back to the heart of the city as soon as she could, and now lives in Westminster.
Lee was an obsessive reader as a child, and still is. She has worked in publishing and contributed to, and ghost-written, books.
Dark Heart Forever is her first novel under her own name.
Lee was an obsessive reader as a child, and still is. She has worked in publishing and contributed to, and ghost-written, books.
Dark Heart Forever is her first novel under her own name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 22, 2013
Despite the cutesy cover (and title), Love Is a Number is actually a pretty serious read that deals with loss, numbness and different stages of grief. Although I was prepared for some seriousness, having read the description in advance, I didn’t expect such an emotionally mature read. Lee Monroe is the author of the Dark Heart YA paranormal romance series so this foray into contemporary was pretty unexpected, but I do hope this is what she’ll keep doing. Anything else would be a pretty serious loss for teen readers.
Huck, Eloise’s boyfriend of four years died suddenly while vacationing in Spain. The two of them always seemed to be the perfect couple: gorgeous, ambitious and very rich. With the loss of Huck, Eloise lost her entire future. Everything she had planned, be it in Uni or after, was centered around him. But as she goes through the stages of grief, she slowly comes to realize that there was a whole side of Huck she didn’t know at all and her own insignificance in his life strikes her as the betrayal of the worst kind.
In Spain, Daniel is feeling the loss himself. His path and Huck’s crossed very briefly and they didn’t like each other at all, but seeing a young life disappear so suddenly is bound to leave some consequences. Dan is a bit awkward, a bit nerdy, smart and genuinely nice, and most of all, very lonely.
When Huck’s phone accidentally ends up in Daniel’s hands, both Daniel and Eliose find something they sorely lack – comfort and closeness to another human being. At first, Daniel is reluctant to respond or give up the phone, but as they finally start communicating, they both experience radical changes.
Despite the grimness of the beginning, Love is a Number carries a strong underlying message of hope that becomes more and more pronounced as Eliose goes through her emotional awakening and self-discovery. It’s hard not to pity her at the beginning, not only for the loss of her boyfriend, but for the numbness and discomfort she always feels, the estrangement from her parents and her (rather dishonest) friends. It is because of that that we cheer even more loudly when she decides to become more self-assured and assertive.
All things considered, Love is a Number is a lovely, emotionally charged novel, perhaps a bit too heavy for hot summer days, but worthy of your time nevertheless.
Huck, Eloise’s boyfriend of four years died suddenly while vacationing in Spain. The two of them always seemed to be the perfect couple: gorgeous, ambitious and very rich. With the loss of Huck, Eloise lost her entire future. Everything she had planned, be it in Uni or after, was centered around him. But as she goes through the stages of grief, she slowly comes to realize that there was a whole side of Huck she didn’t know at all and her own insignificance in his life strikes her as the betrayal of the worst kind.
In Spain, Daniel is feeling the loss himself. His path and Huck’s crossed very briefly and they didn’t like each other at all, but seeing a young life disappear so suddenly is bound to leave some consequences. Dan is a bit awkward, a bit nerdy, smart and genuinely nice, and most of all, very lonely.
When Huck’s phone accidentally ends up in Daniel’s hands, both Daniel and Eliose find something they sorely lack – comfort and closeness to another human being. At first, Daniel is reluctant to respond or give up the phone, but as they finally start communicating, they both experience radical changes.
Despite the grimness of the beginning, Love is a Number carries a strong underlying message of hope that becomes more and more pronounced as Eliose goes through her emotional awakening and self-discovery. It’s hard not to pity her at the beginning, not only for the loss of her boyfriend, but for the numbness and discomfort she always feels, the estrangement from her parents and her (rather dishonest) friends. It is because of that that we cheer even more loudly when she decides to become more self-assured and assertive.
All things considered, Love is a Number is a lovely, emotionally charged novel, perhaps a bit too heavy for hot summer days, but worthy of your time nevertheless.
February 5, 2017
Unfortunately, I found very little to like about LIAN. And I say this as someone who was excited about reading it from the blurb. I hadn't heard of Lee Monrow before and was astonished to find out this wasn't self-published, as the writing was poor in parts, using a lot of language I am quite sure no eighteen year old would use (even if I accept that Daniel sees himself as intellectual and Eloise is quite formal).
The biggest problem I have with the book is I just didn't buy the central idea - that Eloise would continue texting Huck's phone. It wasn't executed well enough for me to suspend disbelief, and it didn't seem like something she would do - surely it would be more natural for her to slowly discuss things with her new friends than text a phone she gets no reply to (did it not occur to her someone would find it? And was there no password protection on the phone when Daniel found it - or other messages, photos to indicate whose it was?). Very unnatural.
As mentioned, I didn't find either of the two lead characters' voices convincing. I also don't feel Daniel's narrative added much to the book - I wasn't interested in his Spanish adventures and the emotional heart of the story was clearly with Eloise. I think the book would have been better had we not had his POV and only later found out he was reading the messages. I also didn't connect with Eloise - her sections contained quite some considerable repetition (I didn't need endless scenes affirming how bitchy her friends were, or about how controlling her mother was - I got this very quickly). More could have been done with her. I also didn't believe for one moment that she and Huck would be together for four years and still not know each other well at all.
So, sadly, I couldn't find much to like or enjoy about this book at all. I did finish it (admittedly with some skimming), hence two stars.
The biggest problem I have with the book is I just didn't buy the central idea - that Eloise would continue texting Huck's phone. It wasn't executed well enough for me to suspend disbelief, and it didn't seem like something she would do - surely it would be more natural for her to slowly discuss things with her new friends than text a phone she gets no reply to (did it not occur to her someone would find it? And was there no password protection on the phone when Daniel found it - or other messages, photos to indicate whose it was?). Very unnatural.
As mentioned, I didn't find either of the two lead characters' voices convincing. I also don't feel Daniel's narrative added much to the book - I wasn't interested in his Spanish adventures and the emotional heart of the story was clearly with Eloise. I think the book would have been better had we not had his POV and only later found out he was reading the messages. I also didn't connect with Eloise - her sections contained quite some considerable repetition (I didn't need endless scenes affirming how bitchy her friends were, or about how controlling her mother was - I got this very quickly). More could have been done with her. I also didn't believe for one moment that she and Huck would be together for four years and still not know each other well at all.
So, sadly, I couldn't find much to like or enjoy about this book at all. I did finish it (admittedly with some skimming), hence two stars.
May 12, 2014
I found that this was very slow to begin with and it took me quite a few chapters before I really found myself drawn into it, but once our two main characters had started talking, I was utterly hooked.
I just couldn't put this book down.
It was sweet and romantic and just everything that I enjoy in a book like this.
It was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the contrast in their backgrounds. Eloise's mother did annoy the living daylights out of me however.
It was a really sweet ending and I feel like it left open the possibility of a sequel? *HINT HINT*
We all need a boy like Daniel in our lives. He was a very likable character and I found that Eloise was a character that I could relate to in some aspects.
This was the first thing that I've ever read by Lee Monroe, but I'm a little intrigued to try something else now.
I just couldn't put this book down.
It was sweet and romantic and just everything that I enjoy in a book like this.
It was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the contrast in their backgrounds. Eloise's mother did annoy the living daylights out of me however.
It was a really sweet ending and I feel like it left open the possibility of a sequel? *HINT HINT*
We all need a boy like Daniel in our lives. He was a very likable character and I found that Eloise was a character that I could relate to in some aspects.
This was the first thing that I've ever read by Lee Monroe, but I'm a little intrigued to try something else now.
June 15, 2013
I got this book as a proof book from work, and it's not the usual genre that I read, but I did actually enjoy it.
The book is quite sad and can be depressing as you see the female character descend into depression after the death of her boyfriend, but if you plough through certain parts that are a bit boring you get to see a coming of age, as the character of the girl who is quite spoiled and selfish starts to act more like her old self, under less of her mother's influence and her real friends come back to her. The book itself was very real with the bitchyness of girls and coping with loss.
The book is quite sad and can be depressing as you see the female character descend into depression after the death of her boyfriend, but if you plough through certain parts that are a bit boring you get to see a coming of age, as the character of the girl who is quite spoiled and selfish starts to act more like her old self, under less of her mother's influence and her real friends come back to her. The book itself was very real with the bitchyness of girls and coping with loss.
April 4, 2025
This book is so bad. None of the characters are likeable in anyway. The book starts off okay and a little interesting but then just tank's, it's so boring. Dan only thinks about girls and it gets so boring and it actually started to annoy me. Los mum is so incredibly unlikeable, the dad doesn't do anything to stop the mum's actions so he's just as bad. The author feels the need to mention lo is rich every page, like we would forget. The way the author describes the women in this book feels like author is a man. I don't think I can finish this book, I can't even hate read it, it's that bad. Also I'm aware this book was written 12 years ago but still it's so bad. This book is so fuckass
May 27, 2022
SUCH A GREAT BOOK!! I literally loved everything about this book!! I loved the way it was written and how it depicted Huck and Daniel and how men actually view women and I thought even though it was a romance book , the darker themes and stages of grief were shown very well. I enjoyed reading about how Eloise and Daniel change and grow as people separately and how they didn’t need each other to become better people . This book was adorable <33
September 18, 2019
I got this through amazon vine so I am it really the target audience I feel. It is aimed at young teens, mainly girls I would say as it is a romance but no sex as it is a YA book. It is also a book that makes the young reader question what is important in life and in a friendship. It is well written and although the characters are a bit obvious you have to remember it is a teen novel.
February 8, 2021
omg so tragic
and sad
and sad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2013
Now this book has been on my to-read list since I first heard about it, now I have read the first two of the dark heart trilogy... which as I remember it – it was great.
This is a standalone book and it was sweet with two totally different characters...
This book is like the teenage version of Attachments (spoilers) As the two people do not meet till the end.... Which is like attachments where the people don’t meet till the end.
Surprisingly enough they way both of these people get to know each other is through technology when the people don’t think anyone is reading texts or emails.... but someone is Creeepppy
Now this book is told in two points of view of both Eloise and Dan now I thought I would lean more to liking Eloise’s point of view she is a girl my age but from the first few chapters of hers I didn’t really like her.
She is / was this popular girl with the perfect boyfriend. Now the first few chapters of hers where very...dramatic but I understood she was missing her boyfriend but most of the time she was annoying me.... and kind of whinny- I know its harsh but she just annoyed me!!
As highlighted before she was a Wreck A huge one like the titanic... Harsh I know but as we read on you see that more about there relationship .....
Eventually I felt it got better though as she became stronger and the book developed. At some points though I wanted to throttle her at one point...... But she got a lot better towards the end!!! Which helped me connect with her more as I felt we developed together!
Dan’s point of view I loved!!! I loved his character! He was this normal person who is on holiday I loved how he acted around other people and he was a sweetie!!!! I loved him!
He was such a moral person and the perfect guy, he was just as confused as anyone by romance he didn’t know a lot about it but I loved it he is the kind of guy you would want to meet on holiday.
He made this book a lot better but I totally preferred his chapters . I loved seeing how he developed the relationship with the summer girl, I loved how he reacted to the texts on the phone I also loved his relationship with the two young girls in the book they were so funny! IT WAS PERFECTTT!!
So overall this book was sweet and adorable in places it just felt like there was something missing...and also the main character Eloise was....Kind of annoying but overall this was such a cute book! You read this book to know what’s going to happen next and its is sweet.
Sorry about all the boldness...I got a bit Boldness happy .....
This is a standalone book and it was sweet with two totally different characters...
This book is like the teenage version of Attachments (spoilers) As the two people do not meet till the end.... Which is like attachments where the people don’t meet till the end.
Surprisingly enough they way both of these people get to know each other is through technology when the people don’t think anyone is reading texts or emails.... but someone is Creeepppy
Synopsis of the book-
When her beloved boyfriend Huck dies, Eloise is wrecked. All she has left of him are the texts that he sent: short, succinct - but full of love.
They keep Huck alive. And so Eloise texts him back as if he can receive her messages from beyond the grave. She never expected to get a reply ....
Dan is travelling South America in one last hurrah before university and real life kick in.
He's ready for love, but not of the casual kind. He's not met a girl that's set his world alight. But he's ready for her when she decides to make an appearance. One night on his travels, Dan discovers an abandoned phone.
He pockets it, then forgets about it. He never expected it to ring ....
Now this book is told in two points of view of both Eloise and Dan now I thought I would lean more to liking Eloise’s point of view she is a girl my age but from the first few chapters of hers I didn’t really like her.
She is / was this popular girl with the perfect boyfriend. Now the first few chapters of hers where very...dramatic but I understood she was missing her boyfriend but most of the time she was annoying me.... and kind of whinny- I know its harsh but she just annoyed me!!
As highlighted before she was a Wreck A huge one like the titanic... Harsh I know but as we read on you see that more about there relationship .....
Eventually I felt it got better though as she became stronger and the book developed. At some points though I wanted to throttle her at one point...... But she got a lot better towards the end!!! Which helped me connect with her more as I felt we developed together!
Dan’s point of view I loved!!! I loved his character! He was this normal person who is on holiday I loved how he acted around other people and he was a sweetie!!!! I loved him!
He was such a moral person and the perfect guy, he was just as confused as anyone by romance he didn’t know a lot about it but I loved it he is the kind of guy you would want to meet on holiday.
He made this book a lot better but I totally preferred his chapters . I loved seeing how he developed the relationship with the summer girl, I loved how he reacted to the texts on the phone I also loved his relationship with the two young girls in the book they were so funny! IT WAS PERFECTTT!!
So overall this book was sweet and adorable in places it just felt like there was something missing...and also the main character Eloise was....Kind of annoying but overall this was such a cute book! You read this book to know what’s going to happen next and its is sweet.
Sorry about all the boldness...I got a bit Boldness happy .....
July 3, 2013
This is the first book I have read by Lee Monroe, so although the synopsis drew me in I had no idea what to expect from the writing itself. Love Is A Number is about love and loss and finding a way out of the pain you are suffering.
Eloise's boyfriend has died, heartbroken and depressed she is no longer the perfect daughter, student or friend, now she is wallowing in sadness and loss. All she wants is Huck back, in an effort to feel closer to him she sends a text message to his phone, knowing he can't answer. What she doesn't know is that Dan, who is holidaying in Spain, found Huck's phone and saw the message she sent. What follows is a glimpse into Eloise's life, we get to see how she is dealing with losing Huck, and as she vents to Huck's phone, we get to see her true feelings coming through.
Love Is A Number takes us on a journey of love, loss, finding yourself and falling in love again.
The chapters take place both in the present and the past. The past showing how Eloise was before Huck died, how their relationship was and also how they met. The present is how she is coping with losing Huck and how one text message can change lives.
As Love Is A Number progresses Eloise begins to see how not so perfect her relationship was with Huck, in hindsight the way he acted around others and the constant partying were all clues to his infidelity, something which Eloise didn't initially see at the time. Her life with her friends isn't what she thought it was, and now that she isn't the perfect friend she can see how very different she is from this small group, and how much she actually fitted in with her old friends. We get to see these clues as Eloise is seeing them for the first time as she looks back, and while some of the instances with Huck were obvious, Eloise was too blinded by love to notice them. As a reader I saw these transgressions and I felt sorry for Eloise, not really knowing what your boyfriend is doing and then finding out after he has gone is tough, and while she vents by texting his phone she doesn't have the opportunity to tell him face to face.
We are introduced to Eloise's old friends, briefly at first but in more detail later on, and I quickly saw how good they were for Eloise, they are so in tune with each other and know what the other is feeling even if they lie or deny their feelings at the time.
I love how Love Is A Number is told from two points of view, with Eloise initially taking the most of the chapters in the beginning, and Dan picking up a few but getting more quickly. I enjoyed following this pair and seeing how two separate lives can end up being connected in a surprising but lucky chance of fate. I liked getting to see Daniel learn about Eloise through the messages he reads from her, and while he is having his own adventures Eloise is always in the background, and then when he finally makes contact, getting to see them form a tentative friendship that doesn't feel rushed or under pressure to be perfect.
I really enjoyed Love Is A Number more than what I expected to. Lee Monroe has managed to create a realistic world full of characters that make it easy to relate to them and feel invested in their future.
I have a UK giveaway (4th-18th July 2013) on my blog to win a copy of this book, so come and check it out [Much Loved Books]
Eloise's boyfriend has died, heartbroken and depressed she is no longer the perfect daughter, student or friend, now she is wallowing in sadness and loss. All she wants is Huck back, in an effort to feel closer to him she sends a text message to his phone, knowing he can't answer. What she doesn't know is that Dan, who is holidaying in Spain, found Huck's phone and saw the message she sent. What follows is a glimpse into Eloise's life, we get to see how she is dealing with losing Huck, and as she vents to Huck's phone, we get to see her true feelings coming through.
Love Is A Number takes us on a journey of love, loss, finding yourself and falling in love again.
The chapters take place both in the present and the past. The past showing how Eloise was before Huck died, how their relationship was and also how they met. The present is how she is coping with losing Huck and how one text message can change lives.
As Love Is A Number progresses Eloise begins to see how not so perfect her relationship was with Huck, in hindsight the way he acted around others and the constant partying were all clues to his infidelity, something which Eloise didn't initially see at the time. Her life with her friends isn't what she thought it was, and now that she isn't the perfect friend she can see how very different she is from this small group, and how much she actually fitted in with her old friends. We get to see these clues as Eloise is seeing them for the first time as she looks back, and while some of the instances with Huck were obvious, Eloise was too blinded by love to notice them. As a reader I saw these transgressions and I felt sorry for Eloise, not really knowing what your boyfriend is doing and then finding out after he has gone is tough, and while she vents by texting his phone she doesn't have the opportunity to tell him face to face.
We are introduced to Eloise's old friends, briefly at first but in more detail later on, and I quickly saw how good they were for Eloise, they are so in tune with each other and know what the other is feeling even if they lie or deny their feelings at the time.
I love how Love Is A Number is told from two points of view, with Eloise initially taking the most of the chapters in the beginning, and Dan picking up a few but getting more quickly. I enjoyed following this pair and seeing how two separate lives can end up being connected in a surprising but lucky chance of fate. I liked getting to see Daniel learn about Eloise through the messages he reads from her, and while he is having his own adventures Eloise is always in the background, and then when he finally makes contact, getting to see them form a tentative friendship that doesn't feel rushed or under pressure to be perfect.
I really enjoyed Love Is A Number more than what I expected to. Lee Monroe has managed to create a realistic world full of characters that make it easy to relate to them and feel invested in their future.
I have a UK giveaway (4th-18th July 2013) on my blog to win a copy of this book, so come and check it out [Much Loved Books]
May 6, 2015
Check out my review and others on my blog!
Review----
I picked this book up on a whim from my local library. I'd never heard anything about this book, and from the interesting blurb and bright cover, I decided to give it a go.
I am so very glad that I picked up this novel, as while it did not "blow my mind", I really really enjoyed the novel as a whole, although it loses a star from me as I found the beginning of the novel slow and some of the pacing at the end of the novel to be too fast and rushed.
This book is written in dual point of view of our two main characters, Daniel and Eloise. Daniel is travelling in South America with his friends before he starts his first year of college and Eloise is grieving the recent death of her boyfriend. Both of these characters were very real and I could feel their thoughts and personalities leap from the page as I read more into the story.
I really liked reading about Eloise's life and home life. I felt her side of the story touched on a lot of subjects that readers could relate to like depression, grief, loss, family problems and having a not-so-good group of friends. I enjoyed reading about Eloise's thought process on family life and friends and her standing up to change her life for the better and move on.
I also loved the friendship Eloise had with Nat & Sarah, two friends from her childhood. I felt this was such a well written friendship and loved the way Monroe wrote this re-connection between them.
Daniel's character was less interesting to me than Eloise but I still really enjoyed reading his chapters. I did find him to be somewhat of a complainer at times but I loved reading about his time in South America and his crazy friends. I really liked seeing his character develop from the beginning of the story where he is very reliant on others, to further in the story when he becomes more of an independent person. I also really enjoyed reading about his relationship with Paula and her family in South America.
I loved reading about the relationship that develops between Eloise and Daniel, and Lee if you're reading this I would love to know what happens next for them!
I thought the build up of the romance was well paced, definitely no "insta-love" in sight, and thought that the characters were so very well suited for each other. If you've read the novel you'll know what I mean, but the part near the end with the coffee shop and running around was one of my favourite scenes in the novel!
While the book deals with some heavy topics, such as death, grief, struggling to find yourself, the book is not a depressing read. This book has a good balance between light and dark themes and really draws in the reader.
August 26, 2013
Being a big fan of Lee Monroe's Dark Heart trilogy, I was excited to see that she had a new book out. Rather than focusing on the paranormal, 'Love is a Number' is a contemporary young-adult story about two teenagers whose lives are set on a collision course due to a series of unexpected events. I was expecting something different to Monroe's previous work and that's exactly what I got.
The narrative alternates between the two main characters: Eloise or Lo as she is known and Daniel. We find out at the beginning of the story that Eloise's boyfriend Huck has died. She is trying to pick up the pieces of her life again but can't seem to dig herself out of the depression that she's sunk into following her loss. I kind of had a love/hate relationship with Eloise. I sympathised with her predicament and the difficult time she was going through, but as I began to learn more about her I didn't particularly like what I discovered. She has allowed herself to be steered through life by her mother who goes as far as to choose her clothes and who she should be friends with, but up until this point she hasn't ever really stood up for herself. It was nice to see her gradually becoming more independent and doing what she feels is right rather than what people tell her to do.
Daniel is in Spain and trying to open himself up to new experiences before he starts university. I thought he was a great character and had a very appealing personality. As he begins to mature as a person, so many good qualities about him shone through and I thoroughly enjoyed the chapters which centred around him and his journey.
I did think that the story was a little bit predictable at times. It was slow to start but it picked up in the second half when I became more engrossed in the events surrounding the characters. It's not hugely heavy on romance but is more about finding yourself and making true friendships which will last through life.
Although this is probably a book that I wouldn't pick up to read again, it was still a nice, sweet read which will appeal to fans of contemporary YA.
The narrative alternates between the two main characters: Eloise or Lo as she is known and Daniel. We find out at the beginning of the story that Eloise's boyfriend Huck has died. She is trying to pick up the pieces of her life again but can't seem to dig herself out of the depression that she's sunk into following her loss. I kind of had a love/hate relationship with Eloise. I sympathised with her predicament and the difficult time she was going through, but as I began to learn more about her I didn't particularly like what I discovered. She has allowed herself to be steered through life by her mother who goes as far as to choose her clothes and who she should be friends with, but up until this point she hasn't ever really stood up for herself. It was nice to see her gradually becoming more independent and doing what she feels is right rather than what people tell her to do.
Daniel is in Spain and trying to open himself up to new experiences before he starts university. I thought he was a great character and had a very appealing personality. As he begins to mature as a person, so many good qualities about him shone through and I thoroughly enjoyed the chapters which centred around him and his journey.
I did think that the story was a little bit predictable at times. It was slow to start but it picked up in the second half when I became more engrossed in the events surrounding the characters. It's not hugely heavy on romance but is more about finding yourself and making true friendships which will last through life.
Although this is probably a book that I wouldn't pick up to read again, it was still a nice, sweet read which will appeal to fans of contemporary YA.
July 2, 2013
Firstly I’d like to thank Hachette Children’s Books for sending me this book to read and give an honest review. I loved the Dark Heart series by the same author so I was very keen to start reading this one which is her latest book.
It seemed to take me a while to really get into the story, about halfway through it definitely got more interesting and it was at this point I became hooked, by the time I got to the last few pages I just didn’t want it to end – it was so adorable!
For me Eloise was an up and down character – there were times I really liked her and thought she was very sweet but there were also times (mainly at the beginning) when I simply couldn’t take to her. I loved Daniel pretty much as soon as I met him – he was wonderfully honest and a little bit shy. I couldn’t wait for the interaction between these two characters to start and when it did I found myself smiling at the cuteness of it all .
Eloise’s grief after Huck had died was superbly described, her life had been completely turned upside down, learning about their time as a couple initially made me feel sad for her but I soon got the impression that all was not as perfect as it first seemed. Eloise’s mother and so-called friends were all rather irritating, I definitely rolled my eyes a lot at the things they said and did.
Daniel was quite an amusing character, I hadn’t been expecting humour from this book so that was a welcome surprise. I particularly enjoyed the times when he was trying to be more of a bad boy than the clean-cut lad everyone thought/knew he was. The author wrote about the tidal wave of teenage insecurities clearly and concisely, this is what makes it such a great read for teens!
I loved the texting parts of the book (always a favourite of mine), I was eagerly awaiting each message to see if my predictions were going to be right.
This was a sweet, romantic read that took a while to warm up but left me smiling!
It seemed to take me a while to really get into the story, about halfway through it definitely got more interesting and it was at this point I became hooked, by the time I got to the last few pages I just didn’t want it to end – it was so adorable!
For me Eloise was an up and down character – there were times I really liked her and thought she was very sweet but there were also times (mainly at the beginning) when I simply couldn’t take to her. I loved Daniel pretty much as soon as I met him – he was wonderfully honest and a little bit shy. I couldn’t wait for the interaction between these two characters to start and when it did I found myself smiling at the cuteness of it all .
Eloise’s grief after Huck had died was superbly described, her life had been completely turned upside down, learning about their time as a couple initially made me feel sad for her but I soon got the impression that all was not as perfect as it first seemed. Eloise’s mother and so-called friends were all rather irritating, I definitely rolled my eyes a lot at the things they said and did.
Daniel was quite an amusing character, I hadn’t been expecting humour from this book so that was a welcome surprise. I particularly enjoyed the times when he was trying to be more of a bad boy than the clean-cut lad everyone thought/knew he was. The author wrote about the tidal wave of teenage insecurities clearly and concisely, this is what makes it such a great read for teens!
I loved the texting parts of the book (always a favourite of mine), I was eagerly awaiting each message to see if my predictions were going to be right.
This was a sweet, romantic read that took a while to warm up but left me smiling!
July 15, 2013
Love is a Number begins with a prologue. Eloise is reflecting on how she felt when her grandma died when she was in junior school.
Chapter One we find out that Daniel is now in Madrid with mates Syd and Jamal. We find out how Dan feels about relationships. They re-meet up with a couple of lads they met in Granada last week. Lads that are suave, sophisticated and very charismatic … everything that Dan and his mates are not. An event causes Dan’s mates to return home but he decides to stay on.
Next, we’re with Eloise. It’s two weeks after Huck’s death and we spend time with her and her grief and how it is in her world with her family and friends. Eloise is a girl who simply, has (or rather had) it all. She’s become her mother’s ‘project’ and admits to arrogance. Since the age of 8 her mother has chosen her wardrobe and her friends.
Alternating chapters are narrated in the first person by our two main characters. Dan is getting involved in a community in Spain and Eloise is coming to the realisations that her relationship with Huck isn’t as great as it was on the surface.
Seemingly total opposites with their social backgrounds as well as personalities, we journey with Dan as he starts building belief in himself, finding out who he is and what he wants from a relationship while with Eloise, she’s peeling back the illusion to find the girl she used to be – the person that become buried under her mother’s emotionless snobbery.
What I really liked about this YA romance is that the main characters don’t meet until quite near the end of the story. Even with Eloise texting the phone Dan has, he doesn’t reply until we’re quite a way into the story, although there is a connection between them that neither know about…
Love is a Number is a refreshing romance and one that YA readers will love.
I would like to thank the publishers for providing a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
Chapter One we find out that Daniel is now in Madrid with mates Syd and Jamal. We find out how Dan feels about relationships. They re-meet up with a couple of lads they met in Granada last week. Lads that are suave, sophisticated and very charismatic … everything that Dan and his mates are not. An event causes Dan’s mates to return home but he decides to stay on.
Next, we’re with Eloise. It’s two weeks after Huck’s death and we spend time with her and her grief and how it is in her world with her family and friends. Eloise is a girl who simply, has (or rather had) it all. She’s become her mother’s ‘project’ and admits to arrogance. Since the age of 8 her mother has chosen her wardrobe and her friends.
Alternating chapters are narrated in the first person by our two main characters. Dan is getting involved in a community in Spain and Eloise is coming to the realisations that her relationship with Huck isn’t as great as it was on the surface.
Seemingly total opposites with their social backgrounds as well as personalities, we journey with Dan as he starts building belief in himself, finding out who he is and what he wants from a relationship while with Eloise, she’s peeling back the illusion to find the girl she used to be – the person that become buried under her mother’s emotionless snobbery.
What I really liked about this YA romance is that the main characters don’t meet until quite near the end of the story. Even with Eloise texting the phone Dan has, he doesn’t reply until we’re quite a way into the story, although there is a connection between them that neither know about…
Love is a Number is a refreshing romance and one that YA readers will love.
I would like to thank the publishers for providing a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2013
Much more serious than I had expected (not that that is a bad thing). Basically this is a coming-of-age story in a way. Each of them help the other to change and grow as a person and to realise who they are and who they want to be.
Much of this help is done without realisation- since the characters don't start talking to each other until about 3/4 of the way through the book and dont meet until far later. But Eloise is helped in her grief, and in understanding her relationship more fully, by the silent listener on the end of the phone. She is able to vent her feelings and without realising it, Daniel is helping her with that.
Meanwhile, Daniel is going through his own change. In a summer abroad before Uni he is broadening his horizons and the death of Huck (whom he met briefly) makes him want to live more fully. And so we watch as he takes risks and meets new people and discovers more about who he is than he had previously known. And the texts from "Lo" whom he doesn't know, helps him through the period of loneliness he went through.
Both characters were very likable and believable which pleasantly surprised me. I have previously read "Dark Heart Forever" by this author, which I had lukewarm feelings about and the characters in that did not leave much of an impression on me. Here the case is much different and I can't help hoping that Lee Monroe sticks to contemporary in future as she writes sympathetic characters and a well-written story with a theme that is difficult to handle but which she does incredibly well.
I can't wait to read more of her books if in future they are more like this. I recommend this to anyone looking for a more mature contemporary but if you are expecting cheesy romance from page 1 then look somewhere else. This is an excellent book and it deserves to be read.
Much of this help is done without realisation- since the characters don't start talking to each other until about 3/4 of the way through the book and dont meet until far later. But Eloise is helped in her grief, and in understanding her relationship more fully, by the silent listener on the end of the phone. She is able to vent her feelings and without realising it, Daniel is helping her with that.
Meanwhile, Daniel is going through his own change. In a summer abroad before Uni he is broadening his horizons and the death of Huck (whom he met briefly) makes him want to live more fully. And so we watch as he takes risks and meets new people and discovers more about who he is than he had previously known. And the texts from "Lo" whom he doesn't know, helps him through the period of loneliness he went through.
Both characters were very likable and believable which pleasantly surprised me. I have previously read "Dark Heart Forever" by this author, which I had lukewarm feelings about and the characters in that did not leave much of an impression on me. Here the case is much different and I can't help hoping that Lee Monroe sticks to contemporary in future as she writes sympathetic characters and a well-written story with a theme that is difficult to handle but which she does incredibly well.
I can't wait to read more of her books if in future they are more like this. I recommend this to anyone looking for a more mature contemporary but if you are expecting cheesy romance from page 1 then look somewhere else. This is an excellent book and it deserves to be read.
February 25, 2014
I feel like I should have loved this book, especially because of all the good things I've heard people say about it, but I just didn't.
Love Is A Number was a lot more serious than I'd thought it would be but I didn't really mind that. I'd been expecting a cutesy romance but wasn't all that bothered that that wasn't what I got. I liked seeing the different stages of grief and different kinds of families, but I still had a few issues with the book.
I found Eloise hard to connect with at first and even though she developed and changed, I still had that little feeling at the back of my mind that she was the type of girl that I would have hated to have gone to school with. I didn't mind Dan's point of view, in fact I rather enjoyed it, but still, I didn't fall in love with him as a character.
I thought it was totally predictable that Huck would turn out to be that sort of guy. I saw it coming right from the start and I hated that. Also, I feel like Paula's character was totally unnecessary. Like, if she had never been in the book it wouldn't have changed a thing, other than made Dan a bit lonelier and less experienced with girls. That's it. But I loved Paula and I think she deserved so much more!
I really struggled to get through this book, and it wasn't because Eloise and Dan didn't meet until the end. I can't even really explain why I didn't like it. I just didn't; it wasn't for me.
As I said, I liked Paula. And I liked Cristina. I liked Eloise's development and how she ditched her three "friends", I liked Dan as a character, I liked how much I hated Huck, and I loved how Dan hunted her down at the end. So it wasn't all bad for me, plus I think Lee Monroe is a brilliant writer, it just didn't turn out to be my kind of book.
Love Is A Number was a lot more serious than I'd thought it would be but I didn't really mind that. I'd been expecting a cutesy romance but wasn't all that bothered that that wasn't what I got. I liked seeing the different stages of grief and different kinds of families, but I still had a few issues with the book.
I found Eloise hard to connect with at first and even though she developed and changed, I still had that little feeling at the back of my mind that she was the type of girl that I would have hated to have gone to school with. I didn't mind Dan's point of view, in fact I rather enjoyed it, but still, I didn't fall in love with him as a character.
I thought it was totally predictable that Huck would turn out to be that sort of guy. I saw it coming right from the start and I hated that. Also, I feel like Paula's character was totally unnecessary. Like, if she had never been in the book it wouldn't have changed a thing, other than made Dan a bit lonelier and less experienced with girls. That's it. But I loved Paula and I think she deserved so much more!
I really struggled to get through this book, and it wasn't because Eloise and Dan didn't meet until the end. I can't even really explain why I didn't like it. I just didn't; it wasn't for me.
As I said, I liked Paula. And I liked Cristina. I liked Eloise's development and how she ditched her three "friends", I liked Dan as a character, I liked how much I hated Huck, and I loved how Dan hunted her down at the end. So it wasn't all bad for me, plus I think Lee Monroe is a brilliant writer, it just didn't turn out to be my kind of book.
September 9, 2013
Until I opened this book and quickly became absorbed into the worlds into Eloise and Daniel my day had been frantic and stressful but WOW, there was I thinking Love is a Number would be a light romance!! This story, and Lee Monroe's very sharp but subtle changes of narration, go past a lost phone; a boy and girl accidentally talking by text.
Love is a Number chronicles Eloise's grief in a very raw form, who then finds she has to deal with the truth of a person she thought she knew; Lee Monroe honestly looks at the issues of the family unit, materialism, body image and a friendship support system. Her writing is full of emotion, often Eloise's memories and experiences are particularly heart-rending and when she reaches out to talk to a dead person I feel the reader understands.
Although Daniel has a dissimilar background to Eloise and is in Spain, not suffering in the same way that she is, he is a character we immediately feel a connection with. He is the outsider of his group, happy to watch, longing for a meaningful and lasting relationship, but lacking the confidence. Daniel is lonely in Spain and genuinely feels close to 'Lo'.
Love is a Number is a complex but astoundingly beautiful story which had me crying but I also felt such a sense of excitement at every page turn. This is definitely one to recommend, especially to readers who want to be left with a buzz!
Love is a Number chronicles Eloise's grief in a very raw form, who then finds she has to deal with the truth of a person she thought she knew; Lee Monroe honestly looks at the issues of the family unit, materialism, body image and a friendship support system. Her writing is full of emotion, often Eloise's memories and experiences are particularly heart-rending and when she reaches out to talk to a dead person I feel the reader understands.
Although Daniel has a dissimilar background to Eloise and is in Spain, not suffering in the same way that she is, he is a character we immediately feel a connection with. He is the outsider of his group, happy to watch, longing for a meaningful and lasting relationship, but lacking the confidence. Daniel is lonely in Spain and genuinely feels close to 'Lo'.
Love is a Number is a complex but astoundingly beautiful story which had me crying but I also felt such a sense of excitement at every page turn. This is definitely one to recommend, especially to readers who want to be left with a buzz!
July 30, 2019
I picked up this book because I adored Lee Monroe´s Dark Heart series. I was also interested in seeing how she wrote contemporary seeing that her other series is paranormal romance.
Love is a number is about two main characters whose perspectives switch throughout the novel. The first perspective is Eloise´s. She is a girl who lives in London and has the amazing posh life with the dream boyfriend. But one day all of that comes tumbling down when her boyfriend Huck dies and she sees the reality of what she thought was the dream life. Then Daniel, who is a boy that is vacationing in Spain with his friends, finds Huck´s phone after his death. He is terribly surprised when the phone starts getting text messages...
I really enjoyed this book because of all the dynamics between the different characters. Every character felt deep and important since it is a very character driven story. Some of the twists and turns were predictable but I liked them nonetheless. I felt so terribly bad for Eloise throughout the whole book because everyone around her (except her old friends) doesn´t really care about her and just casts her feelings aside for their own. I also loved the ending and how cute it was.
If you enjoy contemporary romance and character driven stories I 100% recommend this book.
Love is a number is about two main characters whose perspectives switch throughout the novel. The first perspective is Eloise´s. She is a girl who lives in London and has the amazing posh life with the dream boyfriend. But one day all of that comes tumbling down when her boyfriend Huck dies and she sees the reality of what she thought was the dream life. Then Daniel, who is a boy that is vacationing in Spain with his friends, finds Huck´s phone after his death. He is terribly surprised when the phone starts getting text messages...
I really enjoyed this book because of all the dynamics between the different characters. Every character felt deep and important since it is a very character driven story. Some of the twists and turns were predictable but I liked them nonetheless. I felt so terribly bad for Eloise throughout the whole book because everyone around her (except her old friends) doesn´t really care about her and just casts her feelings aside for their own. I also loved the ending and how cute it was.
If you enjoy contemporary romance and character driven stories I 100% recommend this book.
August 6, 2019
having read the dark heart series i didn't hesitate to give this one ago and i am glad i did it was certainly something different from anything i have read previously. The book dealt with peer pressure, adultery, heartache, death and coming of age. Eloise at first wasn't very likable she was a snob a princess looked down on others but thankfully she realized this too and slowly became a much nicer person her own person not her mum's ideal daughter. Huck was a complete player and not a nice person at all but you could tell that from the beginning sadly Eloise starts to recognize this over time. Her so called friends in particular Jess were vile and i am glad she cut them out if her life don't even get me started on her so called mother. Daniel on the other hand was very likable from the word go i actually preferred his side of things and he without a doubt made the book. If i am being honest i wouldn't class this as one of my favorite books but i am glad i bought it and read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2014
I was very sceptical about the book to begin with and went into reading it very open minded, yet despite my initial doubts I ended up staying awake until 3am, reading consistently because I simply had to finish it. Although the story line is quite cliché, it is incredibly sweet and as the author presents the feelings of both characters throughout the novel by switching between their view points in chapters, I was able to connect much more with them meaning I wanted to know the ending as soon as I could. The book is finished with an amazing last line from Lo which I feel links the whole book together 'Call me... just, call me.' Although I did find the ending to be rushed and again quite cliché and unrealistic but still incredibly sweet and dreamily 'perfect', despite this I would consider it a great novel and recommend it to any readers who love a classic romance with a modern twist or someone just getting in to reading.
June 21, 2013
My main thought running through the book today when i was reading it was 'Isnt it expensive to text and phone spain?'
But thats because i think like that.
The actual book...
I'm not sure.
Its not my normal type of book, but Part of me did like it. I like the idea that random acts can bring people together. He could have left the phone and never known Lo's story.
I didnt want to put it down, because i really wanted to know what happened.
on the other hand, there was just something- I dont know what,just something, that I really didnt like. I cant put my finger on what it was (which annoys me). Part of me feels that it was almost lacking plot; it needed something else, not just someone pining for her boyfriend...
but at the same time, i did like it. It was a sweet book.
August 14, 2013
Love Is a Number is more about the journey than the destination. It is lighter on the romance, focusing more on coming of age and overcoming grief as the story follows both Elosie and Dan’s lives. It was odd to read a romance where there was little interaction between the characters at times but their romance was all that much sweeter because of the slow build up. They connected when they were both ready for it.
I had more than a few issues with this story at times. Particularly the extreme shallowness and outright cruelty of some characters. It seemed almost too much but I was also charmed by Dan & Lo's journey and how they intersected.
Fans of The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight and This is What Happy Looks Like – both by Jennifer E. Smith should enjoy this one.
I had more than a few issues with this story at times. Particularly the extreme shallowness and outright cruelty of some characters. It seemed almost too much but I was also charmed by Dan & Lo's journey and how they intersected.
Fans of The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight and This is What Happy Looks Like – both by Jennifer E. Smith should enjoy this one.
October 30, 2013
This is one of the best romance books I have read in awhile! Didn't want to put it down! I was so mesmerized by this story line I was heart broken when it finished! I just want to pick up where the story ends and find out what happens next. This is about a boy named Daniel and a girl named Eloise and their weird way of meeting. Eloise is getting over the loss of her boyfriend and coming to tearms with life without him. Daniel is looking for love and finds it in an unexpected place! This is a definite must read for people who likes abit of romance!!! Will definitely be reading this again sometime in the future!
June 21, 2014
On the whole a quite good book. Most parts of the first half of the book were... unnecessary, and though there were room for much character development etc etc, it didn’t catch me at all. Something, however, kept me going - perhaps since after aprox. 200 pages the book became a bit more interesting, and it began to focus on the love story and the real character development. Therefor, the change of direction after about half the book, saved the story.
Good book. Characters easy to connect with. Much character development. Interesting love story. Warm. A little bit to much self pity for my taste, otherwise a sweet book.
Good book. Characters easy to connect with. Much character development. Interesting love story. Warm. A little bit to much self pity for my taste, otherwise a sweet book.
May 20, 2015
This was cute, if a little predictable. Eloise's experience of grief was sensitively portrayed, and the way she'd grown as a character by the end of the book made me want to cheer. Her description of her mother as a sociopath made me laugh because a) SO TRUE, and b) I'm glad she finally recognised it!
Also, I loved Cristina, the 13-year-old Spanish girl who gave Daniel pep talks on how to treat a woman right, haha. It was kind of hilarious how Daniel describes her English as not being that great, and yet she was able to give him these speeches about TRUE LOVE and FINDING CLOSURE and MAKING CONNECTIONS. Cristina is the underrated heroine in this book!
Also, I loved Cristina, the 13-year-old Spanish girl who gave Daniel pep talks on how to treat a woman right, haha. It was kind of hilarious how Daniel describes her English as not being that great, and yet she was able to give him these speeches about TRUE LOVE and FINDING CLOSURE and MAKING CONNECTIONS. Cristina is the underrated heroine in this book!
November 29, 2016
A book that I enjoyed but not something that made me go "WOW! THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER." I liked the fact that In the beginning Dan's point of view was a bit boring but it soon became more interesting. I loved Lo's friends and family, even though I wanted to slap some of them, and the way they were presented. Overall, a good book but I feel like there should have been more to the ending. I wanted to know what happened to them.
July 15, 2014
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book, mainly because of the interesting concept to begin with of love from texting. This is quite a common theme in some modern books so I was curious about the outcome. However, I felt that this lived up to my expectations because of the problems with each of the characters that they lived with. Eloise was much more than a girl told what to do, and Dan was left much more stronger having been with Eloise and Paula.
I really enjoyed this book, mainly because of the interesting concept to begin with of love from texting. This is quite a common theme in some modern books so I was curious about the outcome. However, I felt that this lived up to my expectations because of the problems with each of the characters that they lived with. Eloise was much more than a girl told what to do, and Dan was left much more stronger having been with Eloise and Paula.
November 21, 2014
It was a really cute book. It started off sorta slow but picked up at the end. I'm happy Lo finally found happiness within herself however I sorta dug deeper into her relationship with her mother. I kinda wanted to know a little more about that dynamic because of how her mother treated her but overall it was a cute book. Good purchase!
October 6, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. Eloise really grew on me as a character. This is more than a love story, it also deals with death and grief and changes in a young person's life. This is the first book I've read of Lee Monroe's and it has interested me to have a look at her Dark Heart series.
March 9, 2014
Really enjoyed this! I won't be doing a full review.
I have wanted to read this for quite a while, and it lived up to my expectations! Apart from the fact that it isn't quite the light romance I expected, but it was amazing and a quick read.
I have wanted to read this for quite a while, and it lived up to my expectations! Apart from the fact that it isn't quite the light romance I expected, but it was amazing and a quick read.
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