I don’t particularly enjoy angst in my books but I have to admit that ‘The art of us’ deals with it well. Around fifty percent of the plot is written as flashbacks but, instead of dividing the plot in halves, past and then the present, the author intertwined them cleverly. Past and present are not even divided in chapters or labelled in titles, Ms. Hughes makes them flow in little sections without any clarifications, and it works remarkably well. It balances sad and happy aspects of the story nicely.

The story is written from two point of views, Charlee, an artist based in Boston and her former girlfriend Alex, a hospitality admin. They split after five years of relationship when Alex moved to the West coast to pursue a career opportunity. They meet again a few years later when Alex moves back. The chemistry is still there but both are in relationships. Will love bring them back together?

This read will take you to a journey filled with angst, sadness and joy. It touches issues such as love, loss, bereavement and the meaning of happiness. Every emotion is balanced so the reader is not on a high or a low for long. Highly recommended even for people like me who don’t enjoy angsty books. 4 stars.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.