Other Words for Love (review)

Unlike her sister, who found herself saddled with a kid and a husband at the tender age of seventeen, Ari Mitchell has no problem avoiding the “trouble” her mother so often warns her about; in fact, she’s mostly unnoticed by boys. After transferring to a Manhattan prep school, however, Ari meets Leigh, a wealthy loner who introduces her to her handsome older cousin Blake, who, against all odds, takes an interest in the homely Ari. Their romance gains intensity almost instantly, and, for the first time, Ari is able to ignore the barrage of condescending remarks perpetually thrown at her by her sister, her mother, and her supposed best friend. Under Blake’s attention, Ari blooms, and she is even able to forgive herself for their sexual activity, finding pleasure in what she once thought was sinful. When Blake abruptly dumps her at the behest of his controlling father, though, Ari’s world shatters, and she is forced to find worth within herself, independent of those around her. In this powerful exploration of loneliness and attachment, Rosenthal expertly captures both the euphoric passion of first love and the utter devastation it can sometimes leave behind. Spanning a time of nearly four years, the story is able to offer a portrait of Ari before, during, and after her relationship with Blake, revealing an adolescent who is terrified of, preoccupied with, and ultimately pleasantly surprised by sex and its emotional implications. Secondary characters are refreshing in their nuance, particularly Ari’s sister, and as such, there are no good guys or bad guys here, just people attempting to forge and maintain relationships to the best of their abilities. Though there’s no particular justification for the 1980s setting, most readers will be able to overlook the occasional dated reference and respond to the compelling story. This will speak strongly to the recently brokenhearted and will perhaps remind them that there is a reason they are called “first” loves.