Chapter summaries Not in Love Ali Hazelwood

Chapter 39: Meant to Be, or Some Shit — Summary & Analysis

Spoiler Notice

Warning: This chapter summary contains spoilers for Chapter 39 of Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood. Read on only if you have finished this chapter or are prepared for key plot reveals.

Summary

Rue engineers a meeting at the rink by having Dave text Eli. Eli arrives to find Rue skating alone. Though wary of a setup, he joins her on the ice. Rue first offers thanks for his help with her patent, then apologizes for not trusting him after learning about Florence. Eli tries to leave, but Rue insists on speaking further. She tells a story about how she once believed all endings were either happy or sad—and that hers would always be the latter. Meeting Eli, she says, made her realize stories can be both. She then reveals that she thinks their story doesn't have to be a tragedy. Rue explains that while their physical connection was never a problem, she now craves talking, listening, and simply being with him. After several false starts, she finally tells Eli the words she has been searching for: she feels safe, accepted, and enough—and she loves him. Eli, overwhelmed with joy, reciprocates and outlines a future of devoted, clingy commitment. Rue accepts, warning she will never be easy. Eli kisses her, content to learn every part of his complicated dream girl.

Key Events

  • Rue uses Dave to lure Eli to the rink, a deliberate grand gesture.
  • Eli arrives expecting gratitude but instead receives a heartfelt apology.
  • Rue confesses that her fear of a sad ending made her resistant to hope.
  • She admits that Eli makes her feel safe, accepted, and enough.
  • Rue declares her love for Eli, finally naming the emotion she had been unable to articulate.
  • Eli reciprocates and describes in detail the kind of boyfriend he intends to be: present, clingy, and devoted.
  • Rue accepts his offer, warning that she will never be easy to be around.
  • The chapter ends with their kiss and Eli’s acceptance of her complexity.

Character Development

Rue undergoes a major emotional breakthrough. She moves from silence and avoidance to articulating her deepest fears and feelings. Her confession—that she thought she could never be happy, yet with Eli she feels safe and loved—shows her growth in trust and vulnerability. She acknowledges her difficulty with language but finds the courage to say "love."

Eli demonstrates enormous patience and resilience. Despite previous rejection, he grants Rue space to speak. He openly describes his desire for a full, messy relationship, indicating his willingness to embrace vulnerability and commitment. His final line—"I can imagine worse fates"—shows his acceptance of Rue exactly as she is.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Skating as Harmony: The rink serves as neutral ground where both characters are at home. Their effortless ability to skate in unison symbolizes the natural rhythm they share when they stop fighting their feelings.
  • Grand Gestures: Rue deliberately orchestrates a romantic setting to confess her love, mirroring Eli's earlier acts of devotion. This shows she is willing to step out of her comfort zone for him.
  • Happy/Sad Dichotomy: Rue’s story about binary endings is central. She learns that a story can be both happy and sad, and that complexity does not mean tragedy.
  • Trust: The entire chapter hinges on Rue finally trusting Eli enough to be vulnerable. Her apology for her earlier lack of trust is a key turning point.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 39 is the emotional climax of Eli and Rue’s relationship arc. It resolves the tension from Eli’s love declaration earlier in the novel, which Rue had met with silence. Here, Rue not only accepts his love but initiates her own confession. The chapter solidifies their partnership, establishes their communication style, and signals that Rue is ready to embrace the messiness of a real relationship. It also deepens the novel’s exploration of how two guarded individuals learn to let someone in.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Rue apologize to Eli, and how does it change their dynamic?
Rue apologizes for treating Eli as someone who would betray her trust, despite his consistent honesty. The apology allows her to move from defensiveness to openness, and it gives Eli the reassurance he needs to hear that she sees his true character.

2. What does Rue mean when she says she never had the language for love?
Rue explains that she could identify feelings of safety, acceptance, and being enough, but she couldn't name the overarching emotion until it had grown strong enough to push through her fear. The act of saying "love" is both a confession and a transformation for her.

3. How does Eli’s description of their future together reflect his character growth?
Eli outlines a plan that includes daily presence, public affection, and trivial domestic gestures—things he had previously avoided. This vulnerability marks a departure from his earlier controlled demeanor, showing he is willing to be "clingy" and fully invested, even knowing Rue may never be easy.

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