As the first book I've read by Jilly Gagnon, I applaud her attention to detail in character and environment creation. "Love You, Mean It" delves into the demolition and reconstruction of its two main characters, reminding us that the stories we tell ourselves can be dangerously convincing—often holding us back from chasing our hopes and dreams due to a fear of the unknown.
Returning to your small town might seem cliché for most, but for Ellie, it was a bit like becoming a hero. Okay, calling herself a hero might be overstating it, but she wasn't about to force her grandparents out of retirement. After her dad passed away, her New York City dreams had to be put on hold as she decided to take over the family legacy. Fast forward five years, and life in the small town of Milborough hasn't changed—until Mimi returns for a city council meeting, only to learn that a major chain, Mangia, might be moving in. Ellie knows her family's deli can't compete with such a giant, so she does the only sensible thing: try to reason with Theo, the (hopefully more compassionate) son of Ted, who owns most of the property in town. What should have been a calm, professional meeting goes off the rails when Ellie's mouth gets ahead of her. Before she can apologize and regain control, an accident sends Theo to the hospital. As if things weren't hard enough for Ellie, Theo wakes up with amnesia and believes Ellie is his fiancée (how else was she going to get into his hospital room to apologize, right? Just one little white lie!). Now, Ellie has two options: use Theo's amnesia to her advantage to cancel the Mangia deal, or come clean and try to fix things before the accident. Turns out two can play this game, as Ellie finds out Theo has a plan of his own.
I absolutely loved the family dynamics in this book. The Greco family is one that you can't help but admire. Although some characters make brief appearances, they contribute to the understanding of the family's closeness, which later becomes significant in revealing who Ellie truly is versus who she presents herself to be.
Jilly shines when it comes to character development, offering deep insights into the inner thoughts and emotions of Ellie and Theo, either from Ellie's first-person viewpoint or through the third-person reflections of Theo's friends and family. She invites us to understand these characters as closely as the important people in their lives do. While this is crucial for fully grasping the characters and their actions, at times, these introspective moments can drag out the narrative. For instance, Ellie might be asked a question, and, several pages later, after much internal reflection, we finally get her response. This technique is useful occasionally, but its overuse slows the book's pace, leading to over-explanation and drawn-out chapters that stifle narrative momentum.
For those looking for a little bit of heat, the book is incredibly spicy without being vulgar, offering a semi-open door romance where the reader has an unmistakable idea of what's happening without the explicitness and of a fully open door romance.
Overall, "Love You, Mean It" may not be for everyone. For those who love deep inner thoughts and vivid descriptions that paint an elaborate picture of each situation, this book is ideal. For those who prefer sticking with the banter, the interactions between characters, shorter chapters, and easy story progression— they may find this book a little tedious at times.