Love in English by Maria E. Andreu
Published by Balzer + Bray on February 2, 2021
ISBN: 0062996517
Pages: 336
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Ana loves poetry and she loves language. The only problem is that she’s just moved to the US from Argentina, and she can barely speak English. Seemingly simple, everyday conversations are a struggle. She gets bullied for not knowing the language, she feels lost. One shining light in all of this is her ESL class. No one in that class speaks English as a first language, they’re all struggling. They don’t share a common language, except English in ESL. Ana begins falling for Harrison, an American boy who ticks all the classic American boyfriend boxes. At the same time, however, she is spending a lot of time with Neo, a Cypriot boy from her ESL class. Ana struggles to determine what feelings are real and how to even talk about them in any language.

This is a wonderfully written romance, coming of age YA novel. There are many explorations of the nuances of the English language that are both illuminating and humorous. Readers will relate to Ana’s struggles to figure herself out and they’ll find empathy in her language struggles where they may not have existed before.

Recommended for readers 12 and up. Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME