Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith

Summary from Goodreads:

Having just been dumped by his girlfriend, British-born Hugo is still determined to take his last-hurrah-before-college train trip across the United States. One snag: the companion ticket is already booked under the name of his ex, Margaret Campbell. Nontransferable, no exceptions.

Enter the new Margaret C. (Mae for short), an aspiring filmmaker with big dreams. After finding Hugo's spare ticket offer online, she's convinced it's the perfect opportunity to expand her horizons.

When the two meet, the attraction is undeniable, and both find more than they bargained for. As Mae pushes Hugo to explore his dreams for his future, he'll encourage her to channel a new, vulnerable side of her art. But when life off the train threatens the bubble they've created for themselves, will they manage to keep their love on track?

Review:

I loved this book. I read it in 2 sittings. As I said on Goodreads: This book was what I needed to get out of my book slump. It’s so romantic. It’s a true old fashioned coming of age story. The characters were amazing. I felt like I was watching Roman Holiday mixed with Before Sunrise mixed with the tv show, This is Us.

The setting of the train ride was pure magic. The love story felt both old and new at the same time. I finished the book, and just gave it a hug. It was just what I needed.

Love stories always have some level of fantasy for me. Some are more believable than others. Some, like this one, will have a timeframe making it more believable. And others just seem to happen at the right moment to make the right story. This had some level of fantasy with the whole needing a girl to have the same name as Hugo’s ex, thing. She also happens to just be the same age as Hugo, and is about to go on the same growing up journey.

That being said, both characters are extremely different. I loved how motivated Miriam was. I love that she was always filming or thinking about filming. She seemed like a genuine filmmaker, and not just a character with a hobby to make her sound more interesting. Film almost defined her. And I loved her grandmother and their relationship. I also loved her two dads.

I was so beyond fascinated by Hugo’s family. He’s one of six. He’s a sextuplet! I loved all the group text messages and the banter between them. I loved his mother’s blog and his father’s unwillingness to let go. I loved his family and how close they were. His siblings’ willingness to do a certain thing (that I won’t spoil) for Hugo just melted my heart. And then there’s Hugo, himself. I loved him completely. I loved that he didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life; he just knew that he wanted some time on his own to figure it out. It was refreshing to have one character unsure of his future like that.

And then there’s all the people the couple meets along the way on the train. They interview people for Mae’s newest film, and it’s just so romantic and beautiful. The setting is always changing from one state to another. The stories change. And the couple’s relationship changes. This book is always moving, like the trains they take.

I can’t really come up with anything negative to say here. I usually really enjoy books by this author. This one, I loved. I give it a 10/10, and I highly recommend it to the romantics out there.