He is interesting, complicated, and like Reena, shows great development between the two sections. I also liked Sawyer and the other characters. Reena moves from an all timely crush on her idea of Sawyer, to actually finding out what Sawyer is like. More than anything, Cotugno shows just how messed up love can be. I also like that despite being clever and not liking the party scene, she still makes mistakes like any teenager. I liked that she had the confidence to be frank about that. As her friend, Allie, becomes more interested in drinking, partying, and all those other grown up things, Reena admits to the reader that she just doesn't feel comfortable in those situations. In fact, it has nothing to do with looks, it is just she doesn’t enjoy the social scene of high school. It's not that she is really oh-so beautiful but just doesn't realise it (although there is an element of that). She is a bit of a social recluse in the 'Before' sections, but not in the way many teen heroines can be. It is clear that having her daughter has changed her. Reena's voice is different in the two sections. The cast of characters is also very good. But both sections were well written and I liked jumping between the two. Usually, I find I am less interested in either the before or after. I was quite surprised that Cotugno was able to keep each of these chapters around the same length, and with the same amount of interest for each side. Obviously the 'After' section reveals that Sawyer did in fact notice Reena, but we are still left wondering how, what happened, and why he left. The book flips between 'Before' and 'After' with great pacing. She hasn't seen him since he left town, and left her behind - pregnant. And it is now that Sawyer comes back into town. Instead she still lives at home, with her daughter Hannah, carrying all this weight on her own. All the plans she and her family made for her life have changed. In these 'After' sections, Reena is no longer a young girl with the biggest crush on earth. Cotugno moves between this Reena, fifteen and besotted, to three years later. But he would never notice her, because he is Sawyer LeGrande. He is her father's godson and always around her house and the restaurant they both work at. Her and her best friend, Allie, constantly analyse his behaviour, clothes, new hair styles. But it also has family love, friendship, and all those other kinds of loves.

It has at its centre Reena and Sawyer, a gritty portrayal of first love. Katie Cotugno's debut novel How to Love is, unsurprisingly, all about love. So when Sawyer comes back into her life, it's safe to say she's a little worried about repeating past mistakes. Three years later and Reena is still dealing with the consequences of their relationship, her daughter Hannah. Summary: Reena has always been in love with Sawyer.

How to love book katie cotugno