Author: Robin Benway
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Source: HarperTeen via Edelweiss
Goodreads
Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?Review by Nara
Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.
She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.
Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.
He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.
Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?
Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.
Faye from The Social Potato described this book as "quiet" and I definitely feel like that's a good descriptor for it. Despite all the events that happen in the book, it's not full of ridiculous drama. It's not full of stupid fights. It doesn't have an evil bitch villain despite it being set in high school. It's just quietly full of meaning and beautiful friendships and supportive (perhaps too supportive) families.
The romance is seriously adorable. It's one where they first start out as friends, and then become closer and closer until the relationship swaps over into a romantic one, and you can see all throughout that there's a real chemistry between them, and gahhh the banter! It's honestly a romance that you can't help but ship.
The characters in general are actually pretty awesome. The trio of friends at the centre of the book, Drew, Emmy and Caro, have one of the healthiest friendships I've seen in a YA book. Each character has their own problems, and although Drew and Caro aren't focused on in as much detail as Emmy and Oliver, their subplots are still very interesting to read about.
It's odd because I'm not sure that I'd call this a summery book. It's sort of half a summer read, and half not, with it being a very cute romance and a relatively quick read, but also touching on a lot of serious issues. It's a book I'd recommend to any fan of contemporary.
Really liked it
RatingsOverall: 8/10
Plot: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 3/5
