Out of Love

A Novel

By: Hazel Hayes

Narrated by: Hazel Hayes

Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

One of E! News' 13 Books to Read This September | One of Bookish's Debuts to Read in the Second Half of 2021 | One of Medium's Best Releases Out Today

“Hazel Hayes writes with such honesty and casual confidence and flowing dialogue, you feel you are overhearing it rather than reading it. The writing sparkles with wit and a poignant emotional reality. I love it.” (Matt Haig, best-selling author of The Midnight Library)

“A smart, touching, time-bending romance. Funny and affecting.” (David Nicholls, best-selling author of One Day and Sweet Sorrow)

For anyone who has loved and lost, and lived to tell the tale, this gorgeously written debut is a love story told in reverse, a modern novel with the heart of a classic: truthful, tragic, and ultimately full of hope.

Out of Love begins at the end. A couple call it quits after nearly five years, and while holding a box of her ex-boyfriend’s belongings, the young woman wonders: How could they have spent so long together? When did they fall out of love? Were there good times before the bad? These are the questions we obsess over when a relationship ends, even when obsessing can do no good. But instead of moving forward through the emotional fallout of a break-up, Out of Love moves backward in time, weaving together an already unraveled tapestry, from tragic ending to magical first kiss. Each chapter jumps further into the past, mining their history for the days and details that might help us understand love; how it happens and why it sometimes falls apart.

Listeners of Normal People; Goodbye, Vitamin; and One Day will adore this bittersweet romance, a sparkling debut that you won’t want to miss.

©2021 Hazel Hayes (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Hazel Hayes writes with such honesty and casual confidence and flowing dialogue, you feel you are overhearing it rather than reading it. The writing sparkles with wit, and a poignant emotional reality. I love it."—Matt Haig, bestselling author of How to Stop Time and The Midnight Library

“Hayes has created a moving, memorable, layered story where each new revelation brings the reader to a greater understanding of both the narrator and Theo, the complexity of their relationship, and, indeed, who they are as people. This story deals unflinchingly with tough topics: Love, sexuality, heartbreak, and hope are a given considering the storyline. But Hayes also deals with trauma and abuse and how those experiences affect a person’s mental health, life, and relationships. It’s rare to finish a book and immediately begin reading it again. For many readers, this will be just that book. A gorgeously told story of heartbreak and recovery that still leaves the reader feeling hopeful about love.”—Kirkus (starred review)

“[A] bittersweet love story without heroes or villains. Hayes strips away the layers to reveal the heart of a relationship between two flawed but appealing characters with their whole futures ahead of them. Recommended for fans of One Day (2010) by David Nicholls and Normal People (2019) by Sally Rooney.”—Booklist

absolutely beautiful

I loved it. It's a tenderly told story that feels so real. Thank you Hazel for writing it.

One of my top books!

Wow the writing was incredible, it touched my heart. Hazel Hayes…I can’t wait to see what other books she writes. I’m so glad I chose to listen to this!

Highly Recommend

I really loved how the story was told. It’s told in a backwards manner which is really different from all the books I’ve listened too. It always sticks to the point and helps make the connection for the reasoning of the break up.

I know my made connections to the character throughout the story and has made me reflect upon myself as a person. I know I’ll definitely be buying the hard cover book and re-reading it.

Wow

This book hit me so so hard. So many amazing quotes that had me reeling from the pain and reliving my own past. Hazel Hayes has absolutely hit the mark with this one. Looking forward to reading more by her.

The good, the bad and the ugly

That pretty much describes the arc of the relationships detailed in this book. It is interesting for awhile, but about half way through I was just worn out with all the drama and dysfunction, and then irritated with the main / nameless narrator for being such a doormat, although she was also clearly quite ambitious, smart, and feisty. So, mixed review; there is a lot of compelling detail about a relationship crumbling, but there is also too much of it.

I liked the audiobook; author does a great job.

This book was recommend to me by a friend. It’s not a genre I would’ve picked for myself. The format of the plot was unique and creative however, the protagonist character development was less than I would desire in a novel.

RELATABLE

It's like I was reading my OWN story. I was able to connect with all the characters. This is a great self-reflecting book after a breakup.

Not my cup of tea…

Granted I didn’t read the whole description before starting this book, it was really sad for a large part of the beginning. Almost uncomfortably sad. I didn’t enjoy the way it was written “in reverse” I believe I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had been written in in sequence from relationship blossoming to it ending.

all the feels

tell a sad story backwards so you get a happy ending . you have fifteen words

Nothing will ever tug at my heart strings quite like Leena

My only critique is that you didn’t run away with her. I require a happy alternate universe sequel in which that happens.

Sincerely yours,
A random American lad