Out of Love by Hazel Hayes is the latest book I have read and I have a lot to say about it. Firstly, this book was first released in 2020 and it has been sitting on my shelf since then. I had pre-ordered the book having been a fan of Hazel's videos on YouTube and I started to read it shortly after it arrived. However, for some reason I just couldn't get into it. It isn't often I give up on a book but I barely got through a chapter before I put it back on my bookshelf and picked up something else. 

Now, I'm sure this isn't how most people start their book reviews but stick with me because Out of Love is a gem.

Let me explain why I decided to give this book a second chance. Well, like many book lovers, I have a lot of unread books around the house and continue to buy more on a regular basis, so, at the beginning of the year, I challenged myself to try and read the books I already own before purchasing anymore. I haven't completely followed this rule as I have still purchased a couple of books, but I have definitely made a dent in my collection. Anyway, I had finished a book so I turned to my bookshelf for my next read and my choices were quite slim. I had to choose between a couple of thriller novels which I just wasn't in the mood for, a cheesy love story or Out of Love. Well I didn't fancy a cheesy love story as I am currently going through a break up so I was left with Out of Love by default.

Unlike the first time I tried to read this book, I was hooked instantly. I had to prise it out of my hands in order to go to my Nan's for Sunday lunch when I started reading it. Now, I'm not sure what has changed, obviously there is the fact that I was experiencing a break up at the time but I'm pretty sure I was the last time I tried to read this book. I suppose a lot has happened in the past two, almost three, years and I have changed a lot as a person since then. Enough about my life, let us dive into the review.

Out of Love is a fictional love story told in reverse. The first chapter begins with the break up and each chapter that follows describes events leading to it. The narrators boyfriend falls out of love with her and it was interesting being able to trace back when and how it happened. If you have experienced anything like this, it is likely to bring back memories and may make you quite emotional at times. Personally, I like these kinds of stories, the ones you can relate to and picture yourself as the protagonist. 

Hayes touches upon a number of different topics throughout, including; mental health, abusive relationships, childhood trauma and sexuality. In my opinion, each topic was handling with sensitivity whilst still having honesty. If you had ever experienced any of these challenges in your life you will be able to relate to them, but if you hadn't then there was enough detail to help give you and understanding of them.

The writing itself is very good. It is nothing like the stereotypical 'YouTuber trying to write a book' trash, but that could be because Hazel Hayes studied journalism and has taken many writing classes. However, I think one of the reasons why this book is so good is because much of it is based of Hayes' own experiences and, if you are familiar with her work on YouTube, you may be able to recognise some of the characters in the book; with different names of course. The way the book is written in reverse is something I have not come across in the past either so it was interesting to see how Hayes made the story unfold.

My one complaint about this book is that the chapters are too long. Now, I know this is a silly thing to complain about, but I can't just stop reading a book half way through a chapter and the chapters in this books were quite lengthy. It never felt as if the chapters were being dragged out though and you could argue that the longer chapters allow you to lose yourself in the book a little easier. It is just personal preference I guess. 

Overall, I would rate Out of Love 8/10 - taking away a mark for the long chapters. I recommend you give this book a go if you haven't already, especially if you have recently experienced a break up. I would love to hear about your thoughts on it if you have already read Out of Love!

Beth x