The film Love Me, Love Me is based on Stefania S.’s novel, the Wattpad phenomenon with over 23 million reads that later hit print in Italy. If you loved the book, though, the film makes it clear right away that something has changed. Here are all the key differences, from the most obvious to the subtler character tweaks.
The biggest change: from California to Milan
This is the difference you notice instantly. In the book, June White’s story takes place in the United States: she arrives in Laguna Beach, California, for her senior year of high school. The film, instead, moves everything to Italy, into an elite Milan and an international school.
It isn’t just a change of backdrop. The novel’s California carried an American teen-drama vibe, all beaches and suburbia. Milan, by contrast, brings a different kind of elegance and creates a sharper contrast with James’ world of underground fights. It’s a choice that “Italianizes” a story born with a very American imagination.
June: more confident on screen
The lead shifts too. The June of the novels is more awkward and insecure, constantly on the move because of her mother’s job. The June of the film, played by Mia Jenkins, comes across as more self-assured and less clumsy.
This is a typical adaptation choice. On screen, a more decisive lead holds the film’s tighter pace better. The inner fragility the book could explore page after page, on screen, inevitably gets compressed.
James and Will: the two boys reworked
The love triangle stays the heart of the story, but both boys have been adjusted.
James, in the novel, treats June badly for far longer. Several readers found the character almost off-putting in the first part of the book. The film, instead, softens James: his troubled side remains, but the attraction between the two grows in a less toxic way. Not surprisingly, many viewers preferred the film’s James to the one on the page.
Will, on the other hand, is at times more unsettling and ambiguous on screen than in the book, where he more clearly represents the “safe” choice. The film leans into the doubt, therefore making the choice between the two boys less obvious.
What got cut
Stefania S.’s novel was born on Wattpad, a platform with a chapter-by-chapter structure and a long, repetition-heavy rhythm. In the adaptation, many of those repetitions are gone, giving the film a smoother, more compact narrative.
On top of that, some side characters were trimmed or removed entirely. One subplot readers flagged as less central, for example, finds no room in the film. In exchange, June’s passion for motorcycles, present in the book, is folded directly into her relationship with James and becomes part of how they grow closer.
Why the film feels “incomplete”
There’s a reason the film leaves you feeling the story has only just begun. Love Me, Love Me is only the first of four books in Stefania S.’s saga. As a result, the film covers only the start of June and James’ relationship, building a slow approach rather than a finished story.
This explains the open ending and the slow-burn pace. It isn’t a writing flaw, but a choice tied to the serial nature of the source material. The sequel, already confirmed, should draw from the second novel.
Should you read the book after the film?
Yes, especially if the film left you wanting to know what happens next. The novel digs much deeper into June’s psychology and James’ dark side, and it carries you well past the point where the film stops. Just keep in mind you’ll find a different setting and a rougher James than the one you saw on screen.
For more on the film, see our full Love Me, Love Me page. And to get to know the actors, read who the cast members are.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Love Me, Love Me film faithful to the book?
Partly. It keeps the love triangle and the main characters, but it changes the setting, softens James and trims several of the novel’s subplots.
Where is the book set compared to the film?
The book is set in the United States, in Laguna Beach, California. The film moves the story to Milan, Italy.
How many Love Me, Love Me books are there?
Stefania S.’s saga is made up of four books. The film adapts only the first.
Does the film change the book’s ending?
The film covers only the first novel, so it doesn’t reach the saga’s conclusion and leaves the story open for the sequel.
