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Love and Gravity
In this unforgettable novel for fans of One Day and The Time Traveler’s Wife, a young Isaac Newton falls in love with a girl living in modern-day San Francisco, defying the laws of physics to forge a seemingly impossible connection.
Andrea Louviere is seven years old the first time he appears. While she’s alone in her bedroom, practicing her beloved cello, the light shivers and a crack forms in the wall. Through the crack, she sees a candle, a window, a desk—and a boy. Though no sound travels through the wall, the boy clearly sees Andrea, too. And then, just as quickly as it opened, the crack closes, and he vanishes.
Over the years, summoning the bright, magnetic boy becomes something of an obsession for Andrea. Then, on her seventeenth birthday, she receives a three-hundred-year-old love letter from Isaac Newton. Andrea knows that Isaac will change the world with his groundbreaking discoveries; the letter tells Andrea that she will change him.
As Isaac’s letters intensify in passion and intimacy, Andrea grows determined to follow his clues to their shared destiny—despite a burgeoning romance in the present. Only when she discovers the way into Isaac’s time does Andrea realize that she faces a heartbreaking decision: between what was . . . and what might be.
Andrea Louviere is seven years old the first time he appears. While she’s alone in her bedroom, practicing her beloved cello, the light shivers and a crack forms in the wall. Through the crack, she sees a candle, a window, a desk—and a boy. Though no sound travels through the wall, the boy clearly sees Andrea, too. And then, just as quickly as it opened, the crack closes, and he vanishes.
Over the years, summoning the bright, magnetic boy becomes something of an obsession for Andrea. Then, on her seventeenth birthday, she receives a three-hundred-year-old love letter from Isaac Newton. Andrea knows that Isaac will change the world with his groundbreaking discoveries; the letter tells Andrea that she will change him.
As Isaac’s letters intensify in passion and intimacy, Andrea grows determined to follow his clues to their shared destiny—despite a burgeoning romance in the present. Only when she discovers the way into Isaac’s time does Andrea realize that she faces a heartbreaking decision: between what was . . . and what might be.
277 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2017
124 people are currently reading
3358 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Sotto Yambao
6 books1,982 followersSamantha Sotto Yambao is a professional daydreamer, aspiring time traveler, and speculative fiction writer based in Manila. She is the author of Water Moon, Before Ever After, Love and Gravity, A Dream of Trees, The Beginning of Always, and THE ELSEWHERE EXPRESS (Jan 2026)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
October 28, 2016
Perhaps time traveling romances are risky after the huge success of “The Time Travelers Wife”. It is hard not to compare every subsequent book following the same gimmick to the original. I did like this story, it was interesting to have the old timey love interest be a famous character from the past. It was a nice quirk.
However I found this novel to be chock full of purple prose and while I have no problem with it in moderation, the amount that was in this story was a little too much for me,which had the side effect of the love story feeling very cheesey.
The main character was alright, and I don't mind love triangles at all. However I am not used to love triangles where the girl treats one of the pining men like garbage the whole time. And the whole “ having her cake and eating it too” ending left me closing the book with an eyeroll.
Nevertheless this was a quick read and admittedly there was a good twist mixed in near the end. Overall this was a fine book and I have no problem with time travel romances or paranormal romances or anything interesting or different in the genre.
The one thing I do need though is for the dialogue to feel realistic, and while I can even concede that a character from 300 years ago may have talked more “romantically” than current modern men, the flowery language was coming from all sides and hence the believability was nowhere to be found.
I think that this novel may have worked better as a short story. I would only really recommend this if you haven't read The Time Travelers Wife because it is hard (for me at least) not to draw unfortunate comparisons... and only if you have a high tolerance for “whimsical speech”.
Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Bin
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Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2018
Artık her bulduğum kitabı indirmekten vazgeçmeliyim.
October 7, 2017
I had hoped that this book would enthrall me as much as The Time Traveler's Wife did, unfortunately, I just couldn't find the book to be as good. I don't read much romance, but this time-travel romance between a modern girl and Isaac Newton caught my attention and as I just love time-travel stories did I feel the need to read this book. Also, the cover is absolutely stunning!
As for the story, it has its ups and downs, it started off interesting, but somewhere around halfway through did I find myself losing interest in the story. The story started to drag on with the main characters Andrea and Isaac just pining after each other. I just wanted them to meet (not really a spoiler) since it's apparently clear when reading the first chapter, what would happen. And, it was sometimes just so saccharine that I felt like I was getting an overdose of sweetness. I wanted more passion, more drama, more surprises and stronger characters. It was a promising book that just failed to live up to my expectations. There is also a triangle drama in the story as Andrea from that she was young had a guy friend called Nate that she also loved. Yes, sir, she loved them both and could not decide which one to choose. Thankfully, I quite liked Nate, he was a nice solid guy that steadfastly stood by her side.
Love and Gravity were a book that in the end felt too much like a young adult novel that tries to be deep, but in the end, fails. The story could have been better if Andrea and Isaac's love-story had not been so predictable, saccharine and to be honest boring. I would have loved to have read more about Isaac Newton, the man, the scientist. But, all one gets is his pining after Andrea. It gets too much in the end. Also, the happily ever after ending was almost too much for me. So, no this was not a book for me.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede
As for the story, it has its ups and downs, it started off interesting, but somewhere around halfway through did I find myself losing interest in the story. The story started to drag on with the main characters Andrea and Isaac just pining after each other. I just wanted them to meet (not really a spoiler) since it's apparently clear when reading the first chapter, what would happen. And, it was sometimes just so saccharine that I felt like I was getting an overdose of sweetness. I wanted more passion, more drama, more surprises and stronger characters. It was a promising book that just failed to live up to my expectations. There is also a triangle drama in the story as Andrea from that she was young had a guy friend called Nate that she also loved. Yes, sir, she loved them both and could not decide which one to choose. Thankfully, I quite liked Nate, he was a nice solid guy that steadfastly stood by her side.
Love and Gravity were a book that in the end felt too much like a young adult novel that tries to be deep, but in the end, fails. The story could have been better if Andrea and Isaac's love-story had not been so predictable, saccharine and to be honest boring. I would have loved to have read more about Isaac Newton, the man, the scientist. But, all one gets is his pining after Andrea. It gets too much in the end. Also, the happily ever after ending was almost too much for me. So, no this was not a book for me.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede
February 8, 2017
There is something about time travel books that hold a place near and dear to my heart!
I guess it’s because I love the thought of me myself being able to just fall into a new time period. I think it’s romantic and exciting so whenever new books come up with time travel as a theme, I am almost always on board with reviewing them.
I don’t know much about Isaac Newton but I thought this book sounded compelling and I was anxious to review it based on the time travel component.
This book is marketed to fans of THE TIME TRAVELERS WIFE and I would agree, it is very similar plot description but I thought this book was uniquely it’s own. I think one of the things I liked best about this book was that it made me think about the mechanics of the story. I found myself wondering how the time travel elements worked in the story and the author did such a fantastic job explaining things and helping the reader navigate the story all around. The time travel elements were a huge complex part of the story and I absolutely loved that aspect!
I also loved the two character perspectives. Andrea and Isaac were well drawn and constructed and I couldn’t help but fell in love with their love story. I knew right away that I could relate to Andrea and I loved how their story unfolded. Isaac was charming and a great romantic male figure. I really really adored them as a couple and felt that their relationship was memorable and one that other readers will feel stands out in literature.
The only thing that I wasn’t really a fan of was the cover. I liked the violin and the writing on the cover but the couple on the cover just didn’t do anything for me. If I had seen this book in the store, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. I think the single violin and writing in the background on a navy cover would have been more eye catching and held a kind of mysteriousness for the book. Something about the cover just wasn’t working for me.
Overall I really loved this book and felt like it was a quick, absorbing read. And by quick I mean I could have read it in one sitting! It was catching right from the start and if I had had the time I would have read it in one sitting, but I was glad that I could stretch it out a little longer so I could truly enjoy each page. If you like time travel romance novels, this book will not disappoint and I would highly recommend it!
See my full review here
I guess it’s because I love the thought of me myself being able to just fall into a new time period. I think it’s romantic and exciting so whenever new books come up with time travel as a theme, I am almost always on board with reviewing them.
I don’t know much about Isaac Newton but I thought this book sounded compelling and I was anxious to review it based on the time travel component.
This book is marketed to fans of THE TIME TRAVELERS WIFE and I would agree, it is very similar plot description but I thought this book was uniquely it’s own. I think one of the things I liked best about this book was that it made me think about the mechanics of the story. I found myself wondering how the time travel elements worked in the story and the author did such a fantastic job explaining things and helping the reader navigate the story all around. The time travel elements were a huge complex part of the story and I absolutely loved that aspect!
I also loved the two character perspectives. Andrea and Isaac were well drawn and constructed and I couldn’t help but fell in love with their love story. I knew right away that I could relate to Andrea and I loved how their story unfolded. Isaac was charming and a great romantic male figure. I really really adored them as a couple and felt that their relationship was memorable and one that other readers will feel stands out in literature.
The only thing that I wasn’t really a fan of was the cover. I liked the violin and the writing on the cover but the couple on the cover just didn’t do anything for me. If I had seen this book in the store, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. I think the single violin and writing in the background on a navy cover would have been more eye catching and held a kind of mysteriousness for the book. Something about the cover just wasn’t working for me.
Overall I really loved this book and felt like it was a quick, absorbing read. And by quick I mean I could have read it in one sitting! It was catching right from the start and if I had had the time I would have read it in one sitting, but I was glad that I could stretch it out a little longer so I could truly enjoy each page. If you like time travel romance novels, this book will not disappoint and I would highly recommend it!
See my full review here
June 21, 2017
This book has been on my TBR since I discovered that it existed. When I saw Once Upon A Book Club Box chose it as their book of the month for May, I knew I had to have it. Opening the gifts made reading the book more exciting, but the book is beautiful on its own.
Andrea Louviere knew the violin almost better than she knew herself. Her father pushed her, seeing a rich and vibrant talent, from a young age, and her mother held her talent against her. Andrea saw the world differently than others did, and she finds a friend that understands her world of music when she meets Nate. But she had a friend before that: the boy in the wall. Though her time with him was fleeting, and she didn't know his name or where he came from, he showed up when she needed him most. The two men in her life both held special places in her heart, and I enjoyed the story of her falling for them both in different ways and at different times.
I'm going to try and make this a non-spoilery review, but it will probably have some spoilers. Accidentally. So if you're not into those, I'm sorry.
The guy behind Andrea's wall (as told in the synopsis) was Isaac Newton. She knew the amazing things that he would one day accomplish, and none of them included her name. It thrilled me to read as their love story progressed. Isaac and her were in different times, fell in love with each other at different ages. Like Time Traveler's Wife, they were at different ages and then maybe the same age when they saw each other next. They never encountered a time when one was a kid and the other was a lot older, but the timeline of their love was as fascinating as the story. I wanted them to be together as much as they wanted to be together. However, there was Nate.
I adore love triangles. I like how they stress me out - it's a good kind of stress. Nate was the boy who killed Santa, a burst of reality in the midst of it all. He was the one that admitted how he felt before she knew what her heart wanted. He had wicked tattoos and an assortment of bands and musical gigs on his resume. He was the now, and he was Nate. I loved him. My heart broke with him. I wanted Nate to have his happily ever after almost more than I've ever wanted a character to have the ending he or she wanted.
Sotto has a beautiful writing style. This is the first book I've read by her, and I looked up - almost immediately after finishing it - what other books she has written. She intertwined her love of Doctor Who in the pages of the story and kept it her own. The characters trapped me in their story. I had to know what happened next, and the promise of the gifts from the Once Upon a Book Club Box was only part of the reason I had to turn the page.
The romance traversed time and space, and the friendship that bloomed into something more with Nate ached. When I turned the last page, I couldn't have asked for more. The epilogue was everything any reader could ever want in an epilogue. Love and Gravity is so much more than a love story, so much more than the consequences of difficult love and falling for someone at the wrong - and possibly right - time. If you want a story that will set your heart on fire, make you heart ache and break at equal measure, and have you crying for no reason, then you should've already picked up this book.
Andrea Louviere knew the violin almost better than she knew herself. Her father pushed her, seeing a rich and vibrant talent, from a young age, and her mother held her talent against her. Andrea saw the world differently than others did, and she finds a friend that understands her world of music when she meets Nate. But she had a friend before that: the boy in the wall. Though her time with him was fleeting, and she didn't know his name or where he came from, he showed up when she needed him most. The two men in her life both held special places in her heart, and I enjoyed the story of her falling for them both in different ways and at different times.
I'm going to try and make this a non-spoilery review, but it will probably have some spoilers. Accidentally. So if you're not into those, I'm sorry.
The guy behind Andrea's wall (as told in the synopsis) was Isaac Newton. She knew the amazing things that he would one day accomplish, and none of them included her name. It thrilled me to read as their love story progressed. Isaac and her were in different times, fell in love with each other at different ages. Like Time Traveler's Wife, they were at different ages and then maybe the same age when they saw each other next. They never encountered a time when one was a kid and the other was a lot older, but the timeline of their love was as fascinating as the story. I wanted them to be together as much as they wanted to be together. However, there was Nate.
I adore love triangles. I like how they stress me out - it's a good kind of stress. Nate was the boy who killed Santa, a burst of reality in the midst of it all. He was the one that admitted how he felt before she knew what her heart wanted. He had wicked tattoos and an assortment of bands and musical gigs on his resume. He was the now, and he was Nate. I loved him. My heart broke with him. I wanted Nate to have his happily ever after almost more than I've ever wanted a character to have the ending he or she wanted.
Sotto has a beautiful writing style. This is the first book I've read by her, and I looked up - almost immediately after finishing it - what other books she has written. She intertwined her love of Doctor Who in the pages of the story and kept it her own. The characters trapped me in their story. I had to know what happened next, and the promise of the gifts from the Once Upon a Book Club Box was only part of the reason I had to turn the page.
The romance traversed time and space, and the friendship that bloomed into something more with Nate ached. When I turned the last page, I couldn't have asked for more. The epilogue was everything any reader could ever want in an epilogue. Love and Gravity is so much more than a love story, so much more than the consequences of difficult love and falling for someone at the wrong - and possibly right - time. If you want a story that will set your heart on fire, make you heart ache and break at equal measure, and have you crying for no reason, then you should've already picked up this book.
November 4, 2022
2022:
I think I'm going to put this book down, 50 pages in. I find it so hard to get into. The writing feels purple and convoluted. I don't feel invested in the characters, and I find the romance/drama really forced. I'm so regretful because this book is available in paperback only in the Philippines (Sotto is a Filipina author), and I found a copy of this in the Philippine National Bookstore on a trip there in 2018. It felt almost like fate that I found it, so I grabbed it right away and knew I would read it and love it when the time was right. I'm super disappointed that this didn't connect with me. I will continue to read and reread her other books that I own, though.
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2018:
SO lucky to be able to grab a paperback copy on my recent trip to the Philippines. I love Samantha Sotto's previous book, and I'm super excited to read this!!!
I think I'm going to put this book down, 50 pages in. I find it so hard to get into. The writing feels purple and convoluted. I don't feel invested in the characters, and I find the romance/drama really forced. I'm so regretful because this book is available in paperback only in the Philippines (Sotto is a Filipina author), and I found a copy of this in the Philippine National Bookstore on a trip there in 2018. It felt almost like fate that I found it, so I grabbed it right away and knew I would read it and love it when the time was right. I'm super disappointed that this didn't connect with me. I will continue to read and reread her other books that I own, though.
---
2018:
SO lucky to be able to grab a paperback copy on my recent trip to the Philippines. I love Samantha Sotto's previous book, and I'm super excited to read this!!!
Read
March 26, 2017A wonderful book for escaping!!! Delicious!!
February 13, 2017
Usually, I can go through a book in a day or 2. This is because 3 quarters of the time, the books are just very hard to put down (and other times, it is because I took up speed reading when I was a child. I kid you not). However, there are also books that I take longer to read. Not because I find it dull or anything. Au contraire. I take time because the emotions that are triggered by pivotal moments in a story demand to be felt. So I read slowly, and I feel.
For the past 35 years that I have been reading, I do not remember ever coming across a story where logic is so beautifully interspersed with music and magic, until now. It takes extraordinary intellect to understand the Fibonacci sequence and fluxions, and combine them with art, thus resulting in such a beguiling tale of a love that endures. I was so captivated by the story, that I found myself helplessly immersed in the journey of three beautifully imperfect characters, Andrea, Isaac and Newton. A journey that is unbound by time and space. I cried the same tears each of one them cried and I felt each moment of joy they felt. I was Andrea, Isaac or Nate whenever I needed to be.
I can go on and on about the story. I can try to tell and retell the story. However, I will never be able to find the words that will do justice to how absolutely magnificent this masterpiece is. I can simply offer my advice to each and everyone who has not yet opened this book. Take your time reading it. Feel.
For the past 35 years that I have been reading, I do not remember ever coming across a story where logic is so beautifully interspersed with music and magic, until now. It takes extraordinary intellect to understand the Fibonacci sequence and fluxions, and combine them with art, thus resulting in such a beguiling tale of a love that endures. I was so captivated by the story, that I found myself helplessly immersed in the journey of three beautifully imperfect characters, Andrea, Isaac and Newton. A journey that is unbound by time and space. I cried the same tears each of one them cried and I felt each moment of joy they felt. I was Andrea, Isaac or Nate whenever I needed to be.
I can go on and on about the story. I can try to tell and retell the story. However, I will never be able to find the words that will do justice to how absolutely magnificent this masterpiece is. I can simply offer my advice to each and everyone who has not yet opened this book. Take your time reading it. Feel.
November 10, 2016
LOVED IT!!!! and give it 4.5 stars!!!. I will admit I may have shed a few tears at the end (and maybe a sniffle or two). Yes this book reminded me of The Time Traveler's Wife, but only because of the time traveling. I loved this story more and the characters.
When Andrea is seven she discovers a boy behind her wall while playing her cello. Over the years she continues to see him and starts receiving letters from him. Naturally she falls in love with him, even though they haven't met and live 300 years apart. They can't pass items through the crack because they eventually turn to dust. Andrea has a wonderful friend, Nate, whom she can't truly love because her heart belongs to Isaac, the boy behind the wall.
Eventually Andrea and Isaac are able to meet and spend time together. From that moment on I didn't want to put the book down. The ending is sad and happy at the same time. I will say I always had my suspicions about Mr. Westin.
Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and the author, Samantha Sotto, for a free electronic ARC of this novel. It was a wonderful read.
When Andrea is seven she discovers a boy behind her wall while playing her cello. Over the years she continues to see him and starts receiving letters from him. Naturally she falls in love with him, even though they haven't met and live 300 years apart. They can't pass items through the crack because they eventually turn to dust. Andrea has a wonderful friend, Nate, whom she can't truly love because her heart belongs to Isaac, the boy behind the wall.
Eventually Andrea and Isaac are able to meet and spend time together. From that moment on I didn't want to put the book down. The ending is sad and happy at the same time. I will say I always had my suspicions about Mr. Westin.
Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and the author, Samantha Sotto, for a free electronic ARC of this novel. It was a wonderful read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2016
I received an ARC of Love and Gravity from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Love and Gravity is an utterly romantic and sweet story about modern girl and musical prodigy Andrea who falls in love with famous Isaac Newton across time and space. The author did a very good job to get time travel aspect to work. It doesn't always work in books if it is not thought through or explained well but it was very well done in Love and Gravity. I loved how all the mysteries and elements: 1952 Omega watch, letters, Isaac’s song and Mr. Westin came together neatly in the end to make the story believable. The author cleverly weaved music, laws of physics and mathematics to create an interesting and a unique take on time travel.
My one pet peeve was the language that people in 17th century used. They used very modern English and I just wished it would be more authentic for the time period.
Overall Love and Gravity is a very enjoyable time travel love story and a good addition to the genre.
My one pet peeve was the language that people in 17th century used. They used very modern English and I just wished it would be more authentic for the time period.
Overall Love and Gravity is a very enjoyable time travel love story and a good addition to the genre.
November 2, 2016
Love and Gravity is a standalone by Samantha Sotto.
I don’t even know where to begin. Love and Gravity was an amazing and magical read. After reading the synopsis, I knew that I would fall in love with Andrea and Isaac. And I was right. Samantha Sotto did a fantastic job not only constructing this beautiful story, but giving two perspectives. I really love the unique angle she brings to life between the two characters. To understand, you’ll just have to experience the story yourself.
I highly recommend for those who love adventure. If you’ve read The Time Traveler's Wife, then you might enjoy Love and Gravity.
Reviewed on Behalf of Once Upon An Alpha
**ARC for Honest Review**
I don’t even know where to begin. Love and Gravity was an amazing and magical read. After reading the synopsis, I knew that I would fall in love with Andrea and Isaac. And I was right. Samantha Sotto did a fantastic job not only constructing this beautiful story, but giving two perspectives. I really love the unique angle she brings to life between the two characters. To understand, you’ll just have to experience the story yourself.
I highly recommend for those who love adventure. If you’ve read The Time Traveler's Wife, then you might enjoy Love and Gravity.
Reviewed on Behalf of Once Upon An Alpha
**ARC for Honest Review**
November 26, 2016
I enjoyed this strange, sweet novel about star-crossed lovers separated by circumstance and time.
Andrea is a cello prodigy who accidentally composes a song that opens a crack between her room in present day San Francisco and Isaac Newton's childhood bedroom in the 1600s. Did I just say Isaac Newton? Why yes, I did. It's weird but just go with it.
Love and Gravity tells a coming of age story as Andrea wrestles with her connection to the stranger in a crack in her wall and the people she loves here in the present day.
This time traveling love story was reminiscent of all the other time traveling love stories I've enjoyed over the years. But to me, that's a good thing.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Andrea is a cello prodigy who accidentally composes a song that opens a crack between her room in present day San Francisco and Isaac Newton's childhood bedroom in the 1600s. Did I just say Isaac Newton? Why yes, I did. It's weird but just go with it.
Love and Gravity tells a coming of age story as Andrea wrestles with her connection to the stranger in a crack in her wall and the people she loves here in the present day.
This time traveling love story was reminiscent of all the other time traveling love stories I've enjoyed over the years. But to me, that's a good thing.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
November 13, 2016
I was captivated by Samantha Sotto's first book - Before Ever After - so when I found out she had another book publishing soon, I was beyond excited. She has great characters and refreshingly original plots.
The story-line of Love and Gravity kept me turning pages and asking more questions ... how, why, who, when .. and things were turned around and answers given in a perfect way.
Just like Before Ever After, I can see myself re-reading this and finding something new each time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC provided in exchange for a honest review.
The story-line of Love and Gravity kept me turning pages and asking more questions ... how, why, who, when .. and things were turned around and answers given in a perfect way.
Just like Before Ever After, I can see myself re-reading this and finding something new each time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC provided in exchange for a honest review.
February 7, 2017
Andrea Louviere was destined to play the cello. Her father, a celebrated concert cellist, made sure of that. He taught her how focus her exceptional talent and about just how much power that music really has.
Even he couldn’t have imagined just how true his lesson would prove to be.
One day while practicing, her music opens a crack in her wall to reveal a beautiful boy with a smile that she can never forget. And so begins her desperate search for a way to see him again.
A mysterious man suddenly appears on her doorstep carrying letters from the boy beyond the wall. In his words, she finds strength to overcome her fears and a love that dares to transcend time.
Andrea, stop. Pray, take a breath. I swear to you, this is real. I am the boy behind your wall and you are the girl behind mine. Do not cast my words away.
Her heart lurched. If this was a trick, it was a cruel one. Tears burned behind her eyelids.
You are seventeen and the time has come at last to tell you how everything began, how I have come to love you above all else, and how you will come to love me.
Isaac Newton was historically known for being a loner. He never married and never committed to anything – other than science. But what history doesn’t know is that his heart belonged to a girl that he could never really have. The brief glimpses that he had of Andrea kept him going through a lifetime of solitude and sadness.
He would find a way to cross all barriers to tell her what was in his heart and maybe that would be enough to hold on to when even reason failed him.
But laws and hearts are meant to be broken and it’s a price that he will gladly pay for the beautiful girl made of magic and music.
There were two things that Isaac had come to rely on in this world: numbers and Andrea. On the surface, they were polar opposites. The first existed in the universe of logic, the other in the realm of magic and dreams. But they shared the one thing that mattered. Together, they made the world make sense. Numbers gave life order. Andrea gave it meaning.
I expected a sweet and simple love story when I began to read Love and Gravity. And what I experienced was something far different. Samantha has created a wildly passionate tale filled with such longing and heartbreak that I couldn’t hold back the tears. She blended the new and the old with poetic precision and I was completely swept away by the music, the adventure and the infinite tenderness. It’s a feeling that I know I won’t forget for a very long time…
Even he couldn’t have imagined just how true his lesson would prove to be.
One day while practicing, her music opens a crack in her wall to reveal a beautiful boy with a smile that she can never forget. And so begins her desperate search for a way to see him again.
A mysterious man suddenly appears on her doorstep carrying letters from the boy beyond the wall. In his words, she finds strength to overcome her fears and a love that dares to transcend time.
Andrea, stop. Pray, take a breath. I swear to you, this is real. I am the boy behind your wall and you are the girl behind mine. Do not cast my words away.
Her heart lurched. If this was a trick, it was a cruel one. Tears burned behind her eyelids.
You are seventeen and the time has come at last to tell you how everything began, how I have come to love you above all else, and how you will come to love me.
Isaac Newton was historically known for being a loner. He never married and never committed to anything – other than science. But what history doesn’t know is that his heart belonged to a girl that he could never really have. The brief glimpses that he had of Andrea kept him going through a lifetime of solitude and sadness.
He would find a way to cross all barriers to tell her what was in his heart and maybe that would be enough to hold on to when even reason failed him.
But laws and hearts are meant to be broken and it’s a price that he will gladly pay for the beautiful girl made of magic and music.
There were two things that Isaac had come to rely on in this world: numbers and Andrea. On the surface, they were polar opposites. The first existed in the universe of logic, the other in the realm of magic and dreams. But they shared the one thing that mattered. Together, they made the world make sense. Numbers gave life order. Andrea gave it meaning.
I expected a sweet and simple love story when I began to read Love and Gravity. And what I experienced was something far different. Samantha has created a wildly passionate tale filled with such longing and heartbreak that I couldn’t hold back the tears. She blended the new and the old with poetic precision and I was completely swept away by the music, the adventure and the infinite tenderness. It’s a feeling that I know I won’t forget for a very long time…
August 12, 2025
There’s just something about a time travel romance that completely unravels me and “Love and Gravity “ is exactly that kind of magic. ♾️
Maybe it’s the thrill of falling for someone you can never truly reach… the ache of loving across centuries. Isaac and Andrea’s story, separated by time yet bound by an unshakable connection, defies both space and destiny. And really, what could be more romantic than that? 💕
Samantha Sotto’s storytelling is simply spellbinding. The way she wove together history, longing, and love into one seamless, heart-stealing narrative is a testament to her brilliance as a writer. I was utterly captivated from the first page.🌷
But my absolute favorite? The letters. 💌
Those beautiful, soul-baring letters between Isaac and Andrea, especially Isaac’s? made me swoon so hard I practically forgot how to breathe! 😅
My heart ached with every word, and I couldn’t help but mourn the loss of such old-fashioned romance in the age of DMs and emojis. Love like that deserves ink and paper.😑
And then… the twist. I never saw it coming, and when it hit, it shattered me. 😭But as the pieces settled, I realized, it was exactly how fate meant their story to be. Bittersweet, beautiful, and unforgettable.
My hopeless romantic heart is overflowing!💓
Maybe it’s the thrill of falling for someone you can never truly reach… the ache of loving across centuries. Isaac and Andrea’s story, separated by time yet bound by an unshakable connection, defies both space and destiny. And really, what could be more romantic than that? 💕
Samantha Sotto’s storytelling is simply spellbinding. The way she wove together history, longing, and love into one seamless, heart-stealing narrative is a testament to her brilliance as a writer. I was utterly captivated from the first page.🌷
But my absolute favorite? The letters. 💌
Those beautiful, soul-baring letters between Isaac and Andrea, especially Isaac’s? made me swoon so hard I practically forgot how to breathe! 😅
My heart ached with every word, and I couldn’t help but mourn the loss of such old-fashioned romance in the age of DMs and emojis. Love like that deserves ink and paper.😑
And then… the twist. I never saw it coming, and when it hit, it shattered me. 😭But as the pieces settled, I realized, it was exactly how fate meant their story to be. Bittersweet, beautiful, and unforgettable.
My hopeless romantic heart is overflowing!💓
June 19, 2017
"Isaac and Andrea's connection was a natural law, greater than any he had ever discovered: unbreakable, timeless, and absolute. It had bound their hearts just as gravity married the earth to the moon."
I am not a man of science, nor am I of mathematics. Who knew that Fibonacci sequence, fluxion, and law of gravity, fused with music, can turn into a beautiful magic?
This is a fictional story of Isaac Newton and his only one, Andrea Louviere. A tale that will never be told in any of our history book.
Love and Gravity may come up too cheesy for some, but for me - who loves time travel and historical romance like no other, Samantha Sotto did mix just the right amount of potions that can shake up human emotions.
Final rating - 5 gravitational stars over 5
Full review to come
I am not a man of science, nor am I of mathematics. Who knew that Fibonacci sequence, fluxion, and law of gravity, fused with music, can turn into a beautiful magic?
This is a fictional story of Isaac Newton and his only one, Andrea Louviere. A tale that will never be told in any of our history book.
Love and Gravity may come up too cheesy for some, but for me - who loves time travel and historical romance like no other, Samantha Sotto did mix just the right amount of potions that can shake up human emotions.
Final rating - 5 gravitational stars over 5
Full review to come
December 23, 2016
INTENSE REVIEW COMING UP!!!!!!! (Just.wow.) https://thesetrappedwords.wordpress.c...
January 19, 2019
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
August 7, 2025
I do not like Math. To say that I hate it is too much, but suffice it to say that long mathematical equations confound me. And, Science? What I know and understand of is not enough to make me elucidate or wax poetic about physics or the law of gravity.
But, simpleton me understood the language in Samantha Sotto Yambao’s Love and Gravity. It spoke to me like a symphony and she was the conductor who pulled at each and every one of my heart strings.
She made me feel for Andrea, Isaac, and Nate. She made me laugh, sigh, smile, cry, stare into space, and even share the knock-knock jokes to my daughter and husband. Then, she wowed me when she led me full circle to the end that destroyed yet healed me in equal measure.
My heart though. My heart. I fear it will not recover. It still aches. And while I know it will heal, as it always does, but it will take a while for me to forget the characters Samantha made me love.
But, simpleton me understood the language in Samantha Sotto Yambao’s Love and Gravity. It spoke to me like a symphony and she was the conductor who pulled at each and every one of my heart strings.
She made me feel for Andrea, Isaac, and Nate. She made me laugh, sigh, smile, cry, stare into space, and even share the knock-knock jokes to my daughter and husband. Then, she wowed me when she led me full circle to the end that destroyed yet healed me in equal measure.
My heart though. My heart. I fear it will not recover. It still aches. And while I know it will heal, as it always does, but it will take a while for me to forget the characters Samantha made me love.
February 2, 2017
I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did.
In the present day, Andrea is a cello prodigy, who at the age of seven, composes a song that opens a crack between her bedroom wall and Isaac Newton's bedroom in 1600's, and eventually falling in love with one another across time.
Yes. Isaac Newton. It's weird but it explained a lot.
Love & Gravity was beautifully written. I loved how the author had done her research, making the whole plot come full circle in such a beautiful way. Samantha Sotto did a wonderful job with the time travel aspect. It was detailed and explained thoroughly and I could understand how every time Isaac and Andrea met. I loved the mysteries, the watch, the cello, Isaac's code, the letters, Mr. Westin. I loved how the author seamlessly weaved math, laws of physics, and music to this story, it was interesting and created a unique time travel story.
My one problem with this book was the language Isaac used. It sounded so modern, I was hoping for more authenticity for the particular time period. But overall, I highly enjoyed it, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys time travelling!
In the present day, Andrea is a cello prodigy, who at the age of seven, composes a song that opens a crack between her bedroom wall and Isaac Newton's bedroom in 1600's, and eventually falling in love with one another across time.
Yes. Isaac Newton. It's weird but it explained a lot.
Love & Gravity was beautifully written. I loved how the author had done her research, making the whole plot come full circle in such a beautiful way. Samantha Sotto did a wonderful job with the time travel aspect. It was detailed and explained thoroughly and I could understand how every time Isaac and Andrea met. I loved the mysteries, the watch, the cello, Isaac's code, the letters, Mr. Westin. I loved how the author seamlessly weaved math, laws of physics, and music to this story, it was interesting and created a unique time travel story.
My one problem with this book was the language Isaac used. It sounded so modern, I was hoping for more authenticity for the particular time period. But overall, I highly enjoyed it, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys time travelling!
March 1, 2017
Samantha Sotto is definitely a mistress of time! She spins a love story that builds and bends the laws of motion and human emotions. It's easy to fall in love with her thought process; this novel allows the reader to enter a parallel universe (and maybe live in it, haha) where love manipulates time and space.
February 22, 2025
This was not as gripping as I had hoped. I wanted to read more by the author and this said it's for fans of the Time Traveler's Wife, so I was hooked.
The story itself was okay, but it felt a little too convenient and too unbelievable at times. And I don't mean the time travel and falling love with someone through a crack in the wall (space and time).
It's the normal life of Andrea and the people around her. Things were just a little too easy there.
Still I enjoyed it.
The story itself was okay, but it felt a little too convenient and too unbelievable at times. And I don't mean the time travel and falling love with someone through a crack in the wall (space and time).
It's the normal life of Andrea and the people around her. Things were just a little too easy there.
Still I enjoyed it.
April 16, 2017
This is a must for fans of Time Travelers Wife and the Outlander series. If you like novels where an implausible couple- in this case a modern American cellist and Issac Newton- cross the time space continuum, then this is for you. I especially liked that Andrea was very well rounded; despite how odd the situation was, she always came across as very real. Newton seems an unlikely love interest but oh, how wonderful this story is. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is beautifully written and entirely well thought out. It's a gem.
February 21, 2017
I going to be objective and although “Before Ever After” remains to be my favorite, I’m rating this one a notch higher. Stories about time travel can be so complicated but Samantha was able to tell it neatly and beautifully with precision. There’s an element of suspense at the end of some chapters that will keep you turning the page and made me finish it in less than three days. Isaac Newton was interestingly reinvented without altering the facts that history told. And since others are comparing it to “The Time Traveler’s Wife” – for me, this is much better and way more enjoyable to read.
Being subjective, I don’t think my heart will be torn in half between a man who undoubtedly loves me and a man who’s you’re not even sure knows how to brush his teeth. :)
Being subjective, I don’t think my heart will be torn in half between a man who undoubtedly loves me and a man who’s you’re not even sure knows how to brush his teeth. :)
February 20, 2017
This is a beautiful story weaving music, math, science, and time travel with love, family, and destiny. I am not sure my review could do it justice.
Andrea has cello music in her blood. At the age of 7 while playing, she opens a wall into the room of a young Isaac Newton. The song doesn't always work. Eventually, she is visited by a mysterious old man named Oscar Ian Westin. He bring her letters that Isaac wrote to her. These letters are riddles as to things that will happen. Interwoven is how Andrea is not living in the present as she chases the past and the heartbreak of her best friend, Nate, loving her.
A story that is both heartbreaking but full of hope.
Andrea has cello music in her blood. At the age of 7 while playing, she opens a wall into the room of a young Isaac Newton. The song doesn't always work. Eventually, she is visited by a mysterious old man named Oscar Ian Westin. He bring her letters that Isaac wrote to her. These letters are riddles as to things that will happen. Interwoven is how Andrea is not living in the present as she chases the past and the heartbreak of her best friend, Nate, loving her.
A story that is both heartbreaking but full of hope.
February 6, 2017
Love and Gravity is the second novel by Filipino author Samantha Sotto. This story intertwines the stories of Andrea Louviere and Isaac Newton. Andrea is of the twentieth century, Isaac is of the seventeenth century but their young unhappy lives become meshed when she is only 7, he is 9. Andrea is a cellist prodigy playing music that seems out of this world. In fact, the resonance of her music has created a split in time and space such that Andrea and Isaac find each other when both need a friend.
At about the same time, Andrea makes another friend in her own dimension and her own time. Nate is the new boy in class having come to live with his grandmother. He keeps very much to himself until a lunchtime incident that seals their friendship. Throughout the story Andrea is torn by her feelings for each fellow.
In a beautifully told story the characters come alive in a way that makes even the most unusual aspect of this story seem perfectly plausible. The depth of Ms. Sotto's research and her understanding of Isaac Newton and his scientific discovery flavors the story and makes everything seem true. She brings into play his work with optics, light, and gravity as well as resonance and acoustics and spins the tale in such a way that the reader can absolutely understand how a rift in time occurred and the interaction from two different times. Did that interaction help form the genius of Newton and were his many gains during his Annus Mirabilis - his marvelous year, the result of this interaction? This story will make you think in this direction.
I found this book to be absolutely enchanting, perhaps the story that has captured me more than any other. I read late into the night coping with the internal struggle of wanting to know what happens next with that of never wanting the story to end. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and encourage reading it, you won't be sorry.
February 6, 2017
Netgalley copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book will make your heart melt and hurt and you will love it.
There’s something quite magical about this story. The plot itself, first, which is original and gripping. The idea of time-travel is not new in literature, yet Samantha Sotto manages to give it a fresh twist by allowing two time periods to meet in the most special and original way. Second, I’ve always loved the inclusion of real-life figures into fiction, and while I don’t know much about Isaac Newton’s life and personality, I think she gave him a life I loved reading.
The characters were totally real to me and realistic, which is a clue of how beautifully written this book is.
Speaking of beautifully written, the magic is there, too. It’s in the words, the carefully crafted sentences, the beautiful descriptions, the raw emotions that translate into the pages. There’s tension, care and so much love and respect of the words, and I could really feel that the author had chosen every word very carefully, which is something I really enjoy and respect in someone.
Words have weight, after all.
I especially loved the fact that while Andrea gets into this almost-quest to discover more about Isaac and to get closer to him, the reader does, too. You’re going further, forward, faster, just to know what’s going to happen, how, when, why? That’s what a great book is all about.
If you haven’t gathered already, I loved this book, and I highly, highly, recommend it to everyone who loves history, beautifully written stories, love stories, or just books in general. I’m sure everyone can get something from it.
This book will make your heart melt and hurt and you will love it.
There’s something quite magical about this story. The plot itself, first, which is original and gripping. The idea of time-travel is not new in literature, yet Samantha Sotto manages to give it a fresh twist by allowing two time periods to meet in the most special and original way. Second, I’ve always loved the inclusion of real-life figures into fiction, and while I don’t know much about Isaac Newton’s life and personality, I think she gave him a life I loved reading.
The characters were totally real to me and realistic, which is a clue of how beautifully written this book is.
Speaking of beautifully written, the magic is there, too. It’s in the words, the carefully crafted sentences, the beautiful descriptions, the raw emotions that translate into the pages. There’s tension, care and so much love and respect of the words, and I could really feel that the author had chosen every word very carefully, which is something I really enjoy and respect in someone.
Words have weight, after all.
I especially loved the fact that while Andrea gets into this almost-quest to discover more about Isaac and to get closer to him, the reader does, too. You’re going further, forward, faster, just to know what’s going to happen, how, when, why? That’s what a great book is all about.
If you haven’t gathered already, I loved this book, and I highly, highly, recommend it to everyone who loves history, beautifully written stories, love stories, or just books in general. I’m sure everyone can get something from it.
February 7, 2017
LOVE AND GRAVITY is beautifully written. I was completely enchanted by the whimsical story-telling. This is, in the true essence of the word, a romance. Not just of love, but of life and passion. It's reminiscent of The Time Traveler's Wife novel, but with a voice of its own.
The story is fictional, but I almost believed, or hoped really, that Isaac Newton was capable of such fierce passion. All the characters have so much depth and emotion. I experienced so many feelings and emotions as well. What Isaac and Andrea shared was an all-consuming love that defied space and time. I can't tell you how many times Ms. Sotto had me tearing up.
I'm more of a conventional happily ever after type of girl so I don't normally read this type of story, but I'm glad I took a chance. I'd definitely recommend LOVE AND GRAVITY to all readers. While reading, however, I do suggest you have plenty of tissues handy. This one's a tear-jerker!
***ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***
The story is fictional, but I almost believed, or hoped really, that Isaac Newton was capable of such fierce passion. All the characters have so much depth and emotion. I experienced so many feelings and emotions as well. What Isaac and Andrea shared was an all-consuming love that defied space and time. I can't tell you how many times Ms. Sotto had me tearing up.
I'm more of a conventional happily ever after type of girl so I don't normally read this type of story, but I'm glad I took a chance. I'd definitely recommend LOVE AND GRAVITY to all readers. While reading, however, I do suggest you have plenty of tissues handy. This one's a tear-jerker!
***ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***
February 13, 2017
Being a huge fan of Before Ever After, I was so looking forward to this book! I am pleased as punch not to have been disappointed! Bravo, Ms. Sotto! I admit I am a sucker for time travel romance - not sure why, but something about them just speaks to my soul. They can sometimes be gimmicky though, so to pull one off like this is awesome! The story of Isaac and Andrea, starting as young children, captivated me, and wasn't at all creepy! it kept me spellbound til the last page and I loved how all the loose ends magically fell into place and the puzzle pieces just created a wonderful love story. Kudos for keeping me invested in not one but two love stories and rooting for each! Anxiously awaiting your next book and will relentlessly recommend this book to everyone.
February 10, 2017
Ever since I watched the movie "Somewhere in Time" I have been intrigued by the concept of time travel. I was excited to be given an ARC copy of this book through Net Galley and was not disappointed.
Andrea first encounters Isaac while playing her cello... a crack appears in the wall of her room and she spies him sitting in his room. Their encounters happen similarly through the years and their fascination for each other grows with each encounter. The author did a great job of moving from the past into the present and of keeping the mystery and the nuances of time travel at the forefront.
Samantha Sotto obviously did her research on Isaac Newton as the details of his life and accomplishments were included seamlessly. I enjoyed the book but have to admit,when it ended, I was left shaking my head and muttering " how can that be?" Time travel is still a mystery but certainly fun to read about.
Andrea first encounters Isaac while playing her cello... a crack appears in the wall of her room and she spies him sitting in his room. Their encounters happen similarly through the years and their fascination for each other grows with each encounter. The author did a great job of moving from the past into the present and of keeping the mystery and the nuances of time travel at the forefront.
Samantha Sotto obviously did her research on Isaac Newton as the details of his life and accomplishments were included seamlessly. I enjoyed the book but have to admit,when it ended, I was left shaking my head and muttering " how can that be?" Time travel is still a mystery but certainly fun to read about.
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