--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's heartbreaking when you love a book…" description: "\"“It's heartbreaking when you love a book that fails. And it always seems to happen to the nicest authors.”\" — Emily Giffin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/emily-giffin-938_book_it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book_1780442.png" --- # It's heartbreaking when you love a book that fails. And it… ![“It's heartbreaking when you love a book that fails. And it always seems to happen to the nicest authors.” quote by Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/emily-giffin-938_book_it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book_1780442.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/emily-giffin-938_book_it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book_1780442.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/emily-giffin-938_book_it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book_1780442.png) > ““It's heartbreaking when you love a book that fails. And it always seems to happen to the nicest authors.”” [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loving a flawed book is painful, especially when beloved authors produce disappointing work. **In simple terms:** Disappointment follows beloved works that fail. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection in cherished creations. Themes literature disappointment author‑reader relationship Mood melancholic thoughtful Type reflective literary When to use this quote - reading clubs - writing workshops - publishing decisions Key Concepts Narrative theory expectation management Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with literary disappointment? - Can you separate author from work? A Different Perspective Not all books can satisfy expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Heartbreaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreaking/) [Heartbreaking love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreaking-love/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing ever prepares you for the overwhelming, heartbreaking love that accompanies being a parent. Nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-ever-prepares-you-for-the-overwhelming-heartbreaking-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's heartbreaking to love someone so much and watch them love someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-heartbreaking-to-love-someone-so-much-and-watch-them-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My God, every time, it never fails. You happen to me all over again. I never stopped loving you, Lay. You were always with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-torrest/my-god-every-time-it-never-fails-you-happen-to-me-all-over-again-i/) [T. Torrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-torrest/) > [This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/this-life-is-what-you-make-it-not-matter-what-you-re-going-to-mess-up-2/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [People who say "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" never felt a broken heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/people-who-say-it-is-better-to-have-loved-and-lost-than-never-to-have/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/love-never-dies-a-natural-death-it-dies-because-we-don-t-know-how-to-4/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Just because you fail once doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/just-because-you-fail-once-doesn-t-mean-you-re-gonna-fail-at-2/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/always-always-always-believe-in-yourself-because-if-you-don-t-then/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/just-remember-some-come-some-go-the-ones-that-stay-with-you-through/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [If we must part for ever, Give me but one kind word to think upon, And please myself withal, whilst my heart's breaking!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-otway/if-we-must-part-for-ever-give-me-but-one-kind-word-to-think-upon-and/) [Thomas Otway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-otway/) > [Sisters make the best friends in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/sisters-make-the-best-friends-in-the-world/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [The discovery that heartbreak is indeed heartbreaking consoles us about our humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-discovery-that-heartbreak-is-indeed-heartbreaking-consoles-us/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [It's shocking when someone who is really bad thinks they're really good. It's heartbreaking, because singing is such a vulnerable thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-camp/it-s-shocking-when-someone-who-is-really-bad-thinks-they-re-really/) [Anna Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-camp/) > [Heartbreaking to watch people deteriorating week after week. Constantly being let down by other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/heartbreaking-to-watch-people-deteriorating-week-after-week/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Emily Giffin > [I try to have something in common with my protagonists, especially when I'm writing in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-have-something-in-common-with-my-protagonists-especially/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I think exercise is critical to my writing and an essential way to recharge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-think-exercise-is-critical-to-my-writing-and-an-essential-way-to/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Grab his penis like this, and I guarantee, it’s a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/grab-his-penis-like-this-and-i-guarantee-it-s-a-done-deal/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Well, anyway… it’s over,” I say, realizing that those two words lump me right in with a hoard of naive women who say it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/well-anyway-it-s-over-i-say-realizing-that-those-two-words-lump-me/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There are two kinds of sorry. There is the sorry imbued with regret. And a pure sorry. The kind that is merely asking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-are-two-kinds-of-sorry-there-is-the-sorry-imbued-with-regret/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Throw in the intensity of emotions that come with that bittersweet summer sandwiched between high school graduation and the rest of your life...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/throw-in-the-intensity-of-emotions-that-come-with-that-bittersweet/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“You can never be too sure when it comes to things that matter most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/you-can-never-be-too-sure-when-it-comes-to-things-that-matter-most/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“It occurs to me that she is not unique--that all women compare lives. We are aware of whose husband works more, who helps more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/it-occurs-to-me-that-she-is-not-unique-that-all-women-compare-lives/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“I desperately want to feel that way again. To be in a relationship that I’m not trying to script or water down. It’s about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-desperately-want-to-feel-that-way-again-to-be-in-a-relationship/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I always find something in common with my protagonist, particularly when I write in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-always-find-something-in-common-with-my-protagonist-particularly/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There is no grief like heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-is-no-grief-like-heartbreak/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I find my voice and manage to say those three one-syllable words back to him. Words I haven't uttered in a very, very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-find-my-voice-and-manage-to-say-those-three-one-syllable-words-back/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [i wish i could freeze this moment, somehow delay my final decision, and just hang here in the balance between two places, two worlds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-wish-i-could-freeze-this-moment-somehow-delay-my-final-decision-and/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I try to write about real women, real people - in other words flawed characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-write-about-real-women-real-people-in-other-words-flawed/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“never had a good gut feeling. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t have faith in my team, but that I maintained the truest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/never-had-a-good-gut-feeling-it-wasn-t-so-much-that-i-didn-t-have/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) [Explore all 324 Emily Giffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's heartbreaking when you love a book that fails. And it always seems to happen to the nicest authors.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Giffin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book-that-fails-and-it-always/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book-that-fails-and-it-always/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/emily-giffin-938_book_it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book_1780442.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/emily-giffin-938_book_it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book_1780442.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/emily-giffin-938_book_it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book_1780442.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's heartbreaking when you love a book that fails. And it always seems to happen to the nicest authors.” — Emily Giffin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emily Giffin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's heartbreaking when you love a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book-that-fails-and-it-always/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/it-s-heartbreaking-when-you-love-a-book-that-fails-and-it-always/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```