The Love Scribe by Amy Meyerson

This book was given as a gift, and I am so thankful to the person who gave it to me. The book is enjoyable to read and the romantic story line is not what one would anticipate for a rom-com nor is it really the main theme (yes, lots of different love stories are the theme but not the theme for the main character). The ending is a tad confusing and makes me hesitant to recommend the book, but it is still a good read and I would encourage anyone thinking of reading this book to do so. Alice is scared to finish anything in life and doesn’t exactly know what she wants in life. Alice’s best friend, Gabby, flits from one guy to the next hoping she will find her true love and after one heartbreak that makes Gabby question true love Alice writes a story for Gabby. The story is just meant to make Gabby feel better about the possibility of true love, but the story Alice writes helps several people find their “true love” after reading it. This starts Alice on a path to writing stories for a few people and eventually, with Gabby’s help, it becomes a job of Alice’s to write stories for people that want to find love. Alice doesn’t write love stories for them to read, but stories that show what people need to see in themselves to be open to love or break patterns of what goes wrong in relationships. Then a mysterious stranger requests Alice visit her and she warns Alice of the potential danger of the stories that Alice writes. After realizing that sometimes the love Alice helped others find does not work out, or worse her client’s get physically hurt, Alice questions if she should keep writing and what to do with her life. The mysterious strangers and Alice’s ending is confusing, but maybe that is what the reader needs. 

Character List/Book Summary:

Alice – works as a waitress for a catering company for the last 8 years after dropping out of med school due to panic attacks. Broke up with her boyfriend after having anxiety attacks about their relationship. Never really dealt with her father’s death and remembers only the good things about her father. Does not believe her stories are “magic” until the story she writes for her mom helps her mother find love again. Is scared to try dating and finding love on her own, even though she is interested in Duncan. 

Gabby – Alice’s best friend whose confidence in love is shattered after her boyfriend of 5 years breaks up with her out of the blue. Alice’s story helps give Gabby confidence and she meets Oliver, and she gets Alice to start writing stories for people as a business. When Alice starts to question her abilities and if she should keep writing Gabby is the one to help Alice see that even if it doesn’t last the love people find from the stories she writes is important. 

Madeline Alger – leaves a handwritten note for Alice asking her to visit and Alice learns she was a love scribe as well. Never trusted that her husband, Gregory, loved her without condition until he died and wants help about the guilt she feels for not trusting him earlier and always testing him. A book is what brought her and Gregory together. Warns Alice of the tragedies that befell some of her clients and tries to get Alice to stop writing stories. 

Rebecca – gives Alice 72 hours to help her find love and get pregnant, is very pragmatic, and hasn’t been getting out much after her divorce. Alice writes a story for her about getting out of mud and that shows Rebecca to slow down. While out at the pool she meets Jonathan who had been waiting a year to ask Rebecca out. Rebecca then gives Alice’s information out to several friends and clients of her own. 

Bobby – Alice’s mother who reconnects with Mark after reading the story her daughter wrote for her. Alice met her husband, and Alice’s father, in college and fell in love and while it was not perfect it she was not ready to find love again after he died over a decade ago. She compares all men to the great love she had with Paul. 

Duncan – a book binder Alice finds to bind the stories she writes for her clients. Does not want love after finding out his wife was cheating on him, and moving across the country after his divorce. Alice asks him to be her date to a client’s wedding. 

Hank – Alice’s high school teacher who remembers what a great story she wrote. Is married to Joe and asks Alice to write a story for Joe, because he is dying and Hank wants Joe to give his love to someone after he is gone. Alice is scared to do this and tries to convince Hank that the story could go wrong, but writes a story for Joe and gives it to him after Hank dies. 

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