Dear Emmie Blue

by Lia Louis

'Sweet, sparkling and heartwarming' LINDSEY KELK

'The British Marian Keyes' LAURA PEARSON

'A delightful story... You will love Dear Emmie Blue!' JODI PICOULT

'A sweet, poignant tale of love and friendship. I loved it' BETH O'LEARY

'The new Eleanor Oliphant. I loved every moment' BELLA OSBORNE

'Funny, clever and romantic' STACEY HALLS

'My heart felt too big for my chest the entire time' LOUISE O'NEILL

'Beautifully captures the heartache. Loved it' ANSTEY HARRIS

Emmie Blue has a secret...

A long time ago, Emmie Blue released a red balloon with a secret message hidden inside - and against all odds, across hundreds of miles of ocean, it was found on a beach in France by a boy called Lucas.

Fourteen years later, on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Emmie hopes that Lucas is finally about to kiss her. She never expected him to announce that he was marrying someone else!

Suddenly Emmie's dreams are shattered and the one person in her life she can rely on is slipping through her fingers. But what if Lucas isn't her forever? What if her love story is only just beginning...

Don't miss the love story that everyone is talking about this summer! Perfect for fans of Beth O'Leary, Josie Silver and Cecelia Ahern.

• ISBN10: 1982135913
• ISBN13: 9781982135911
• Publish Date: 14 July 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[jen20]

3.5⭐️

[kiracanread]

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio UK for providing me with an advance reader copy of the Dear Emmie Blue audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Emmie Blue is such a sweet tale of growth, self-discovery, love and friendship. This book was unlike any other romance I've read before - the unique story of two long distance best friends finding one another when they were needed the most. This book contains a sort of 'love triangle' which I don't usually enjoy in books, but this one worked so well, and I felt like I was rooting for Emmie the whole way through the book and just wanted her to end up with someone that made her happy.

This book also touches on grief, abuse, the loss of a close friend and terminal illness which was a really interesting addition to a love story. Whilst listening to the audiobook I felt so many emotions, I was happy, I was hurt, it was so bittersweet to read.

I felt like the narrator for the audiobook really suited the tone of this book, and I could feel as though the narrator could actually have been the main character, Emmie. Although, with most audiobooks I did feel as though the speech was a little slow, and so listened to this audiobook on 2x speed.

[Sam@WLABB]

Imagine releasing your biggest secret into the universe via a balloon, and that secret being found by a boy in France. This boy would later become your best friend, and you would fall in love with him. He would announce his impending marriage, and your world will begin to crumble. But maybe something even better would emerge from the rubble.

My heart was breaking for Emmie right there in chapter one. I got emotional and choked up just imagining having to stand by and watch the man I love marry someone else, while being completely oblivious to my feelings.



So, yeah, mission accomplished Lia Louis. You broke my heart in chapter one. NOW WHAT! Let me tell you, what happens over the course of the rest of the book really makes up for the pain I endured. The author created this character, who I couldn't help but embrace. She had suffered so much, but she never gave up. She withstood her less than ideal family situation, but still believed she could find love. She pushed on despite a rather scarring event in high school. She continued to show kindness to others, even when she was treated thoughtlessly. For all these reasons, I loved Emmie, and I was cheering her on and hoping she could see things in a different way, because she deserved happiness and all her heart's desires.

I have to say, her relationship with Lucas was up and down for me, and overall, quite frustrating. Their lives had been intertwined for so long, but I felt like she viewed him through rose-colored glasses. He wasn't the worst, but he also wasn't worthy of the pedestal she put him upon.

And then there was Elliot, Lucas' brother. He wasn't so easy to read, but I was happy to see him rekindling his friendship with Emmie. They had a falling out in their teens and had been estranged for many years. It was nice to see them getting to know each other as grown ups, and I actually grew to really like Elliot as the story played on.

I had talked about up-lit a while back, and I would say, this book falls into that category. My heart kept breaking over and over again as I read this story until it didn't. These little wonderful moments kept popping up, and I could see Emmie's story taking a turn for the better. And obviously, I started crying again, but these were the good tears, the happy tears.

Emmie had a bit of an uphill journey, but I was so proud of all the progress she made. I adored this lovely, charming, and heartwarming story, because it left me with a whole lotta sunshine in my heart.

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