Emmy & Oliver

This book was really not what I expected. It was a bargain ebook, which right away means I lower my expectations. Not that there's anything wrong with picking up a cheap or free ebook, but it's often a crap-shoot. While I've found some good books that way, I've also found a whole lot of not so great. The simple descriptive summary combined with the slightly cutesy cover art made this sound a sweet, fluffy YA romance of sorts. And while that's definitely a part of the story, it's really just a small part. This is more a grounded, contemporary coming of age that focuses on friendship. It's not of the overly dramatic, look how many social issues the author can shove into 250 pages variety.

It really was the bonds of the various relationships that made this story come together. And not just with Emmy and Oliver. The relationships with Drew and Caro and even with Emmy's parents were important too. They were real and realistic and yet awkward and honest (even when the words were lies). There was a good amount of sarcasm and humor but also an underlying understanding. The teens talked like teens, not pretentious 26 year olds. The adults were adults, not props or plot pieces or cheesy dispensers of proverbial advice.

There were two things I did kind of wish for throughout: 1) more descriptions of the characters physically. Things like hair color or nervous ticks or whatever and 2) sometimes I really wanted to know what Oliver was really thinking. I don't know that I necessarily needed his POV a lot, I just wish he'd spoken up a little more at times. Really, those are just minor notes when it comes to the story as a whole. I'd definitely recommend this anyone looking for a down-to-earth, heartfelt, contemporary YA story.

So now I many have to check out the author's other works.