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The image depicts the main characters of the book, John and Emily, against the backdrop of a Wordle puzzle spelling out the title. Emily holds her cell phone her hand and has the other hand in John's hair; he is embracing her.

A Five Letter Word for Love by Amy James

Alex Higgins Leave a comment
The image depicts the main characters of the book, John and Emily, against the backdrop of a Wordle puzzle spelling out the title. Emily holds her cell phone her hand and has the other hand in John's hair; he is embracing her.

by Alex H.

Calling all Wordle lovers! A Five Letter Word for Love by Amy James is perfect for anyone who enjoys New York Times word games, quaint small towns, and romances that are light and fluffy but still have a touch of angst to keep things exciting. 

Emily, a young woman living on Prince Edward Island, desperately wants to find her dream job. She’s not quite sure what that is yet, but certainly it must be something creative and exciting in a big city, not…well, not working as a receptionist at a mechanic’s shop in small-town Canada. While she tries to figure that out, she’s working on achieving a 365-day streak on Wordle. One disastrous night puts her streak in peril, but she saves it with help from the most unlikely source—her coworker, John, whom she’d previously written off as irritating and aloof. Of course, we the readers know that his quiet and unassuming demeanor is just an act, and Emily soon finds that he’s not so bad after all. Maybe he’s even…attractive? And fun to be around?!

While Emily tries to find her place in the world and maintain her Wordle streak, her romance with John heats up and makes her wonder if the dream life she’s been searching for has been in front of her this whole time. I enjoyed this book not because it reinvents the wheel, but because it delivers what it promises—a quick and easy romance with plenty of quirky characters and Wordle shenanigans. Sometimes you want a book that’ll keep you entertained for a few hours without using too much brain power, and this book perfectly filled that need for me.  

That’s not to say that this book is just a bunch of fluff, however. Amy James did a great job depicting Emily’s tumultuous emotional journey as she redefines what her “dream” life looks like. Sometimes Emily made decisions that made me want to tear my hair out, but her anxiety about figuring out what happiness looks like to her was deeply relatable. Who among us hasn’t worried about whether we’ve chosen the right path in life? 

Come for the promise of fun, ironic Wordle games, and stay for the surprisingly heartfelt exploration of a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world. Plus, who knows? You might learn a new Wordle strategy or two—I certainly did! 

A Five Letter Word for Love is available from HCLS in print and as an e-book.

Alex is a part-time Customer Service Specialist and Passport Agent at the Glenwood Branch. When she’s not at the library, she likes to crochet cute animals, read all the horror and romance books she can get her hands on, and write stories about things that go bump in the night. 

The photograph shows a wooden table with an assortment of 500- and 1000-piece puzzles in boxes on top. A puzzle with a rainy street view of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the background, is put together on the table surface. A wooden giraffe also stands on the table.

Puzzle and Board Game Swap

emilyhcls 1 Comment
The photograph shows a wooden table with an assortment of 500- and 1000-piece puzzles in boxes on top. A puzzle with a rainy street view of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the background, is put together on the table surface. A wooden giraffe also stands on the table.
Photo by Simon Hurry on Unsplash.

by Emily B.

Over the last few years, there’s been a growing interest in board games and puzzles. This likely started due to the stay-at-home orders at the beginning of the pandemic. In the years following, their popularity has continued. Board games provide an engaging experience with friends and family, shared through competition or collaboration, while puzzles also offer solo and group fun. Working on a puzzle can be meditative, and it provides a great way to de-stress while engaging the mind. Ever since completing my first 1,000-piece puzzle a few years ago, puzzles have been my favorite way to unwind after work.

If you’re a puzzle or board game fanatic, you won’t want to miss the Community Puzzle & Board Game Swap happening at HCLS Central Branch on Sunday, January 29 from 1:30 – 3:30 pm. The swap is the perfect time to trade any games or puzzles that you no longer need for something new to you. Puzzles and games need to include all their pieces.

To participate, bring any gently used board games or puzzles that you would like to swap. When you arrive, you can trade your items with other attendees or with any donated items. Feel free to share your best gaming and puzzling tips with other attendees and learn about upcoming puzzle- and game-related events at HCLS. In addition to swapping, you can learn about all of the free eResources available through HCLS that you can use while puzzling and gaming.

Donations of gently used board games and puzzles will be accepted if you are not interested in swapping anything. You may bring donations to HCLS Central Branch. These donations will be available for swappers on January 29.  

Click here for the full details on the event. 

We hope to see you there!  

Emily is an Instructor & Research Specialist at the Central Branch. She enjoys puzzling, reading, listening to music, and re-watching old seasons of Survivor.