"Sometimes you don't realise how you feel, till something shines a light on it."

Oh, my heart. Dreamy, uplifting and emotional, Dear Emmie Blue is a true love story. But probably not the one you’re expecting. Lia Louis has written a story that tugs on your heartstrings while wrapping itself around you like a ray of sunshine on a warm day.

It starts out as a simple friends to lovers story: 16-year-old Emmie had let go of a balloon with a hidden message and it had been found hundreds of miles and an entire ocean away in France by Lucas. The pair seemed fated to meet, even sharing the same birthday. And on the eve of their thirtieth Emmie is sure Lucas is going to finally ask her to be his girlfriend. Instead, he tells her he’s reconnected with his ex, is getting married, and asks her to be his best woman. Her world shattered, Emmie tries to pick up the pieces while also trying to make sense of her forever slipping out of her hands. But what if this isn’t the end of her happily-ever-after?

Ever since hearing my favourite author, Jodi Picoult, recommend Lia’s books I’ve been adding them to my TBR. But to my shame, it has taken me until now to read one of them. I decided to finally pick up Dear Emmie Blue as part of my #beatthebacklist23 challenge and am now kicking myself for taking so long. It was the perfect pick me up for the gloomy February weather. Full of heart, hope and humour, this is a story that will break your heart and put it back together again. Told in dual timelines, we get flashbacks to pivotal and defining moments in Emmie’s life that helped create a strong bond between her and the reader. Woven into the narrative, and every facet of Emmie’s life, is the traumatic incident with her former teacher when she was 16. This was moving, powerful and heartbreaking to read, but written with sensitivity. It is this storyline, along with the mystery of why she and Elliot had fallen out and her lifelong search for her father that gave the story greater depth and showcased the full range of Ms. Louis’ talent as a writer.

Emmie is a delightful protagonist who has that spark that makes you care about her. Exploring Emmie’s deepest and most emotional memories and feelings allows us to really feel like we understand her and feel everything alongside her, my heart breaking with hers and smiling when she did. I was rooting for her to find the happy ending she deserved. The background characters are just as compelling, with Emmie’s friends Rosie and Fox lighting up every page they were on. I loved their dynamic with Emmie and each other, as well as the sage advice they would give Emmie regarding Lucas, and how they reminded her that he wasn’t actually all she had.

Funny, heartwarming and captivating, this sparkling story is guaranteed to make you smile.

Simplistically perfect. Lia writes in such a way that she magically draws you into the centre of the story with both the subject matter and exquisitely created characters. I will be reading more of Lia’s books as a result.

I love love loved this one!
An emotional rollercoaster with pitch perfect characters.
Witty, heart breaking & mending.
This book is a must read for all contemporary fiction fans.

For a romance to hook me I need to connect with the characters so that I actually care what happens to them. I immediately clicked with Emmie and Lucas as they were both so lovable and whether they were meant to be together or not was almost a moot point as I simply wanted to follow their story from ther very start and get to know them more. Along the way we meet Lucas's brother Eliot who although is not as straight forward as Lucas is absolutely and then to make matters worse Lucas's bride to be is extremely likable too so you just want them all to be happy but know that is probably unlikely. I got My Best Friend's Wedding vibes from this book which is no bad thing at all but then instead of cheesy and cliqued there was depth and surprising turn of events. I did guess most things before they played out but I think that is the thriller reader in me I just can't help myself. However this did not detract from my enjoyment as I was thoroughly impressed that the author came up with a story that was remarkable rather than run of the mill. This book was an absolute joy to read from start to finish. Seek it out as everyone needs some Emmie Blue in their lives.

A sweet, clever and romantic read. The perfect thing if you need a good cry but totally heartwarming too!

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

This was a really good book but I struggled to finish it due to getting anxiety as I read it. This book features sexual assault and victim-blaming which really caused anxiety for me. It was still a good read and I liked the main character!

Rating: 3.5⭐
Would I Read It Again? Not sure
Would I Recommend it? Yes, but please check the trigger warnings

This book took me a little while to get into, and I did consider giving up, but I’m so pleased I persevered. I grew to love the characters and genuinely loved the light hearted feel as the book continued. Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the advance copy

While still at school, sixteen-year-old Emmie Blue releases a balloon with a message tied to it. Against all the odds, it is found by Lucas on a beach in Normandy and he makes contact with her. Fast forward fourteen years and Emmie is shattered when Lucas announces he is getting married and wants her to be his ‘best woman’; she had been hoping that he was going to propose to her. Having been made to feel so welcome by Lucas and his family, Emmie has perhaps misread the situation as her own family are so dysfunctional.
Lia Louis has written well-rounded, believable characters. They are not all good or all bad, but flawed individuals just like in real life. When the initial shock has worn off, Emmie starts to re-evaluate her past. Her eyes are opened, and she discovers she is not the helpless victim she always thought she was; she has an inner strength and can cope with whatever life throws at her. By the end Emmie also sees Lucas in a different light – as he actually is – not the idealized version she has carried in her head for so long.
I love the humorous exchanges with her friends, Rosie and Fox, who also work with her in the hotel, and have her best interests at heart. Her landlady, Louise, helps her come to see that she already has somewhere to call home. As the past is slowly revealed, we realize that everything did not happen the way Emmie thought it did, and that Eliot is one of the good guys.
Set between France and a seaside town on the south coast of England, Dear Emmie Blue would make a great romantic comedy film. I really enjoyed it and will be looking out for other books by Lia Louis in the future.
Thanks to Orion and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

A modern romantic fairy tale!

I absolutely loved the book and also listened to the audiobook (beautifully narrated!).

A funny, sweet and intriguing story. I personally enjoyed all the characters and really liked the idea of the friendship (and love) created by the baloon’s story.

Beautifully and wittingly written,

I found that the book took me a while to get in to but once I did I enjoyed it.

With emmie sending a balloon in school to see how far it goe which ends up in France and that how she meets lucas but all don't go to plan.

Aww this was a brilliant read. After a slow start where I was struggling to make sense of the story and where it was heading I put it aside and read a few books in between. Having read so many fab reviews I knew I had to return to it, so I did. They say that a lot of a book's enjoyment is your frame of your mind and I must admit at the time I was reading it I was not feeling myself. I picked up the story at 20% and everything just clicked, I raced through the book, I could't put it down. And I love Eliot. That is all. A gorgeous and romantic book with plenty of depth.

I loved this story and how a friendship developed through time. They way it flicked back adn forth over the years and across the sea just made it even more captivating. Fantastic

Emmie Blue, you are one of a kind. This book holds a special place in my heart for different reasons. First, I read it at the right moment. I’ll be jumping into my thirties soon and I have been thinking back on what I have learned, what I have seen and experienced, and what I think I know. It is both weird and exciting. The main character is standing at the same threshold.
The second reason is the setting. I was born and raised in Boulogne sur mer, in the north of France, near Calais, Le Touquet, and the roads travelled by the characters in this novel. I never thought an author could make me miss my hometown so much, or even make it sound so lovely and exotic! But it is a wonderful region, and I am delighted readers get to discover this part of France in such a beautiful novel.
Dear Emmie Blue is about the choices we make, what we prioritize, and what we don’t see. What life has in store, and what we think we want. Emmie Blue is madly in love with the boy who found the balloon she set free when she was sixteen. And as she’s about to turn thirty, the balloon of their relationship explodes, and with it, Emmie Blue’s life. Everything she had planned is going in flames. Emmie Blue must find a new path, and new horizons… The emotions in this novel are intense, and relatable. I was moved more than once, and I smile a lot. Many details make this read warm and utterly enjoyable.

Aww what can I say. This book was amazing one big rollercoaster of emotions it had me laughing one minute & heart broken the next. I’d highly recommend this to anyone.

"Where you at, dear Emmie Blue?"

This is definitely a book that wraps itself around your heart and leaves you heartbroken yet hopeful.
It was full of heart, warmth, love, charm, longing, friendship, melancholy and heartbreak, too. The premise of the story was really sweet - from Lucas finding the balloon at the beach to sending Emmie those CD mixes. I also loved how the story evolved.

My favourite thing about this book is the relationships/friendships. I pretty much loved everyone except Lucas. And I oop-
I don't agree with some of the things the characters did (infidelity is a big no no from me) but I'm trying to remember it's just fiction.

Dear Emmie Blue deals with parental neglect, bullying, sexual assault, unrequited love and death.

Here's a quote that I really loved. "They're a little reminder that we're not at all in charge, but mother nature is. And while the world might not look exactly how we'd prefer it to, it is enough, if we just stop and look: the whole sky lit up; the smell of the rain; safe inside. What more could you need?"

I will say that it's a pity that I didn't read this book at the right time of my life. I read this through a book hangover as well as a bereavement in my family, so it was hard to disconnect from my own feelings to connect with the characters and the story, so I can't give it an accurate rating. However, I can step away from that and acknowledge that it is a lovely story.

If you like Dear Emmie Blue, you might like Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern, The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves, and The Switch by Beth O'Leary.

I greatly enjoyed this book, thank you for giving me a preview copy. The plot was interesting and fast paced and I sympathised with the characters. This is the first novel I have read by this author but I hope it will not be the last!

I would like to thank Hachette Audio UK and NetGalley for sending me copy of the audio books to listen to and review.
Dear Emmie Blue was a brilliant story to listen to. I had wanted to start reviewing audio books as I love to listen to them, either at night, while doing the housework or out in the garden and even sometimes in the car. This audio book I listened to while running on the treadmill during lock down.
The story was narrated by Katy Sobey who had a lovely voice to listen to. Through her tones you could tell each character apart really well and I kept wanting to listen on. The story itself by Lia Louis I had heard so much about across social media about it being really amazing and I was not disappointed.
I adored Emmie and the idea behind the balloon was such a special element to the plot. Emmie is a character that you can instantly connect with and there were some elements to her story that I could really relate to. There were times when I cried and times were I laughed out loud, even while running on the treadmill.
Dear Emmie Blue is an emotional, heartwarming and powerful story that left me contemplating life.

I cannot even begin to explain to you how much I loved this book! I just knew from the moment I finished the first chapter that this book was going to be special. Emmie Blue was such a lovable character and I honestly wish she were my friend so I could be there for her throughout the entire book and join her on the emotional rollercoaster she was on!! This book was just fantastic and will be up there as one of my all-time favourites. I can honestly see this book being made into a film as it was just perfect and has such brilliant supporting characters…. especially Rosie.

Emmie thinks that the night of her 30th birthday will be perfect and her best friend, Luca, will ask her marriage… but it will not have a happy ending, yes he will get married, but not with her… She will be his “perfect woman” on that special day, not the bride on the wedding. This is how this story begins, it will feel the end of Emmie’s life, but don’t worry this is just the beginning!
I felt connected with this story since the beginning, Emmie is a character you want to hug and be happy, she doesn’t deserve the sadness and suffering she has in her life. But sometimes this “hole” is what makes you see the people around you in a different way and makes you wonder the line between friendship and love.
This is not a rush read, it will take time to unfold all the layers and discover the true feelings of all the characters. I know that maybe it will not have a happy ending but the “ending” it is not the only important thing of this book, but all the rollercoaster Emmie will make the reader feel; happiness, sadness, pain. Because as we start reading this book it will seem the end of a story, however Emmie’s life is just about to begin. So mixing past memories and the present story, this book will get you glued since the first moment.
I really don’t want to make any spoilers of this story, I’ll just say that it’s a beautiful read that you will never forget. Ready?

This is a beautiful heartwarming story of fate, unrequited love, family and friendship.

I adored the character of Emmie Blue and how even with such a difficult, traumatic childhood she remained strong and was able to surround herself with people she loved and who loved her back.

There were so many wonderful examples of friendships described in this book. Rosie and Fox were exactly the sort of best friends we all wish for, always there to support you, cheer you up and see you through thick and thin. Louise was Emmies landlady and the relationship between them was just beautiful and heartbreaking in equal measures. The Moreau family were all adorable and became the surrogate family that Emmie always wanted but never had!

Emmie was such a devoted friend to Lucas, although that was unsurprising given she was head over heels in love with him! Although I couldn’t help but feel at times that Lucas took advantage of Emmie, which tarnished my view of him a little.

Elliot in the other hand.... what a gentleman. I absolutely loved Elliot and he is now officially my latest fictional man crush!

This was the first book I have read by Lia Louis and what an initiation! I was totally gripped by this book, so much so that it kept me up until 2am finishing it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Books for an advance copy in exchange for a review.