Family.
3.5 stars
If there’s anything you’re going to take away from this book, or a few other Robin Benway books, is that family is number one. Always. (I really hope most of you can relate to that, because if not, it really breaks my heart).
Many times, and I’m talking about most of this book, I wanted to get up and go hug my parents or my brother. The sense of familial warmth seeped out of this book. Out of Emmy and Oliver’s families. That this books emotional level was so real and down to earth that I couldn’t help but get choked up.
This isn’t your regular best-friends-fall-for-each-other type of romance. It has a small twist.
And when I say small twist, I mean one of our best friends was kidnapped by his father when he was younger and isn’t found until 10 years later.
Yeah, not your average YA novel, eh?
And I was expecting so much! I was ready to be blown away and dig into this kidnapping scenario.
Nada.
Oliver coming back and his submersion into high school was heavily blanketed by Emmy’s minor issues. Like, a boy has just returned home to his mother who hasn’t seen him in 10 years and you’re complaining about how your parents are too protective of you?! Appreciate the family you have, girl!! (Yeah, I may have over thought this, but it irritated me nonetheless).
The kidnapping fell in second to the romance, but I’m okay with that. I still appreciated this book.
It was extremely cute and, as always, hilarious!
I will always expect simultaneously grinning and crying in any one of Robin Benway’s books. They are seriously so adorable!
Emmy & Oliver is going to be the book to impact you right where it matters. A book about all sorts of relationships that really hits close to home for most of us (minus the kidnapping).
review at yabookscentral.com