Famous in a Small Town follows Sophie and her amazing group of friends during the summer before their senior year. Then August moves into town, clearly has a secret in his past, but he just kind of fits in their group...and maybe even Sophie’s heart.
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I think I went into this with a certain set of expectations based off of how I thought the book was going to be and I really need to learn my lesson. Since I was waiting for what I thought was going to happen the whole time, I missed out on the real plot of the story until about 50% of the way through when I realized what this story was really all about. This book is about the best things in life: family, friends, and love, but it’s also about the hardest thing, forgiveness. Forgiving yourself and forgiving others. My favorite thing about this book was the friend group. It’s hard to find a book that does a friend group justice, because true friends will have disagreements and fights, but ultimately they are always there for each other. This book does that, perfectly. Ultimately I am settling on a 3.5, and I am leaving my synopsis vague so that others may be able to enjoy the book more without waiting for their plot expectations to pan out like I did.

Emma Mills is a personal favorite, and this was another heartwarming contemporary YA. Sophie and August were fabulous and this was such a lovely story to dive into. I absolutely inhaled this one.

I loved how interesting this story was. Having a story about a small town life that felt real and genuine. I loved how the worlds collided and the journey Sophie embarks on is so fun. It’s cute, poignant and funny story to read. Would recommend.

4.5 stars! This has everything I love about YA contemporaries. I love how Mills writes about friendship, and I just wanted to hang out with these characters. I’ve read 2 of her books now and MUST read them all. 👏🏻

Title: Famous in a Small Town
Author: Emma Mills
Genre: YA
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Sophie loves living in a small town. She has her four best friends, marching band, and the Yum Yum Shoppe and its fourteen flavors of ice cream. She also has a few regrets, but she tries not to let them get her down. This year, she just wants the band to be able to march in the Rose Bowl parade, and she’s ready to go all-out to make sure that happens. Even if that includes a social media campaign to the country star who is from their small town.

When August moves in down the street, he’s determined to keep everyone at arm’s length, especially Sophie, but soon he’s hanging out with her friends and joining the social media campaign. Her friends aren’t sure he deserves a permanent spot in the group, but August makes a home for himself there—if he’s willing to claim it.

I enjoyed this light, funny read, but it does have some deeper themes as well. Sophie is good at pushing the bad stuff to the back of her mind, but sometimes you just have to face things. August prefers to expect the worst—and not to bother hoping for the best. The friendships in this story are so realistic: good, bad, at times ugly. I’d love to hang out with these people.

Emma Mills lives in Indianapolis. Famous in a Small Town is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Henry Holt & Company in exchange for an honest review.)

Sophie loves the comfort and predictably of her small hometown, but through one pivotal summer she finds that the town she thought held no surprises actually has the ability to turn her world upside down. New love, painful secrets, true friendships, and hidden sorrows abound- and make for a lovely story readers won't want to miss

After devouring Famous in a Small Town I'm convinced that Emma Mills can honestly do no wrong. I can always expect to be brought to tears from both laughing too hard and sniffling through gut-wrenching scenes. Mills knows how to write compelling coming-of-age stories that are full of so much heart.

Set in a small town (hence the title), this story follows Sophie and her best friends during a summer full of growth. If you have yet to read a book by Emma Mills then you are truly missing out! She writes some of the BEST friendships I have ever read in YA. Somehow she manages to capture the heart of her characters and portrays their friendships both realistically and in a refreshing way. I can always count on her to write captivating scenes between her characters. And Famous in a Small Town was no different. It actually might have had some of my favorite friends from Mills yet.

This book is centered around these six characters and the love they have for one another. I felt as if I was transformed into the story. I was sitting alongside Sophie and one of her best friends, Flora, counting the lightning bugs with them. I was laughing, crying, and rooting for all of them until the very end.

We have our main character, Sophie, who I adored. She's the glue that holds her friends together and loves unconditionally. Then there's Brit and Flora who both shine in their own way, balancing one another out. And the brothers, Terrance and Dash, who are funny and reliable. To round off the group is the new kid in town, August, and he brings something to their group that I don't think they ever thought they needed.

I'm a huge lover of books with character driven stories, especially in YA contemporary, so I didn't mind the slow plot in Famous in a Small Town as much as others might. This story is more about finding love for yourself, accepting your flaws, and letting them make you a better person. And most importantly learning how to lean on others and be able to allow the people you love to depend on you as well.

Famous in a Small Town is a story full of heart and will no doubt make you cry, but I promise you'll be thankful for reading Emma Mills' beautiful story.

Oh this book! Just what I was needing on a bitterly cold winter weekend. First of all, this is a little thing, but thank you Emma Mills for setting a story in Illinois somewhere other than Chicago! Though I'm a suburbanite who often just says I'm from Chicago when I travel because it's easier, I lived downstate for 4 years in college and I'm just not someone with a terribly urban soul - I like my wide open spaces, as does Sophie, our protagonist.

This book was full of things I love - authentic-feeling friendships, marching band, dialogue that *actually* sounds like the way teenagers talk, a bit of romance that in no way overwhelmed the story. It felt like my high school experience. The only part that sort of had me going "ehhh" was a reveal toward the end that I didn't anticipate because it felt like it came out of nowhere and I'm not convinced it added much to the story. However, besides that, I loved it and would absolutely buy it in libraries where contemporary YA is popular!

Emma Mills is one of my favorite authors. Her books are fun and sweet and they always make me smile, whatever else is going on in the world. And like her other books, I absolutely adored this one.

Sophie is a big part of the reason why. I spent the whole book trying to figure out who she reminded me of, and it finally hit me: she's Leslie Knope as a teenager. She loves her friends and her town and she has nothing but big plans to improve both. And, like Leslie Knope, that kind of enthusiasm can be overwhelming if you're not used to it.

Everything about this book is completely delightful, and I love everything about it. It's my first favorite of 2019.

Highly recommended.

Reading this book, at first it seemed like it was going to be a very conventional YA contemporary novel, but a few things made it stand out for me.

The elements of the average YA contemporary are there. The main character, Sophie, is an ordinary small-town girl. A new guy moves to town, and she finds herself falling for him, but August has issues that lead him to put the brakes on any potential relationship. However, as the two of them spend time together, it becomes difficult for them to be just friends.

One plot twist really took me by surprise, but I don’t want to give too much detail about it because—spoilers. Let’s just say Sophie has her own heavy issue to deal with, and the author does a great job springing it on the reader. That said, I’m not totally sure it was necessary to add that element to the story, especially since it comes to light late enough in the book that it almost seemed like extra drama.

I did like the way the romance between Sophie and August doesn’t overshadow her friendships, though. Sophie has a group of close friends, and they continue to be important to her and to the plot as her connection to August deepens. One of them in particular, Brit, has her own stuff going on that plays a role in the story, but they are all well-developed secondary characters.

Another strong point to the novel was the dialogue. There’s some great banter between Sophie, August, and the rest of her friends. At other times, they were inarticulate in ways that struck me as very true to their ages.

So, it’s a cut above the typical YA contemporary, and I think readers who enjoy them will find a lot to like here.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

4 Stars

YA Contemporary always makes me nervous, but Emma Mills knocked it out of the park with this one. Famous in a Small Town was such a delight to read that I finished it in one sitting! It was such a sweet book about love, friendship, and the perks of a small town.

Famous in Small Town centers itself around the sweet and outgoing Sophie who loves her small town, her 4 hilarious best friends, and the marching band. Sophie meets new the new boy August, who likes his space and has some secrets. Together they try to come up with ways to raise enough money to get the marching band to the Rose Bowl. They decided to ask Country’s Music sweetheart Megan Pleasant, who grew up in the small town Sophie loves so much to perform a concert. But getting ahold of Megan is tougher than one thinks! But Sophie and August have no idea what they are getting themselves into.

The characters were super cute, especially the group of friends. When all the characters are in the same room, they are a hoot. They all had such weird hilarious personalities and it made me wish I could have them all as friends. There were a few things I didn’t like such as the romance. I wasn’t such a big huge fan of it, it felt too rushed. But the friendship that the group had made this book. Because at the end of the day that's what this book is about. How to come together and how to be there for each other.

As my first Emma Mills book, I was a bit scared. Scared that this book would be too juvenile for my adult self. But it was actually super adorable and I found myself chuckling out loud quite often. To think I thought this book would be too childish. If anything it made me feel like I was a teen right along with Sophie and her circle of friends. So if you are into adorable friendships and sweet moments, then definitely give this book a try.

I slept on Emma Mills for AGES but with a little peer pressure, I finally binge read all of her published books last year. I can honestly say that it was life changing. Not necessarily because her books in of themselves changed my life but they were so good and I was so happy to finally have them in my life. WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY is that if you still have not read a single Emma Mills novel in your life, you need to fix that. If you have, then I am guessing you’re gonna pick this book up regardless of anything I have to say so hope you have a nice life. Here, have some cookies on your way out! I made them myself!

Lately, I feel like there has been an upsurge in novels where characters struggle with change and that’s so, totally, completely my thing. I hate change so much and I struggle with it a lot so anytime I get to read about a character who is as stubborn about change as I am, I feel so seen. Sophie does not like change. There are reasons for this I cannot elaborate but if it were up to her, she and her friends would stay frozen in time and in their small town forever. Which does make it seem like she is a shitty friend, but I promise she is the most loyal friend in the world and unafraid to both be there for her friends but also call them out when they are WRONG.

There is a lovely romance in this novel, but at its core, this is a novel about friendship. I mean, its a novel about Sophie but her friends make up a huge part of who she is because her friendships are so essential to her existence. And of course, the best part about these friendships is that they are honest and complicated and lovely. Sophie messes up. Her friends mess up! But at the end of the day, they are there when it matters. This feels redundant because I already talked about the kind of person Sophie is but I do feel that emphasizing how important and well-written these relationships are because they are what make up this novel and give it life.

The one thing I am not entirely sure about within this novel was a twist that appears later on. It’s not that I saw it coming that bothers me. It is that I didn’t see it coming? Which implies that it is well written but honestly, it just seemed to be thrown at us for maximum emotional punch and no unpacking???????? AND THAT IS THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE. I do want to say that it didn’t necessarily impact my overall enjoyment of the book (BECAUSE TRULY, I Love these characters) but it was still upsetting and felt so unlike Mills.

Ugh.

Anyway, so, if you’re an Emma Mills fan and still reading, I’d say read the book because twist aside, it has her characteristic goodness and charm. If you are new to Mills, READ THIS but not first. She has three other books out and all of them are excellent. YOU HAVE A LOT TO CHOOSE FROM.

Emma Mills’s “Famous in a Small Town” is a contemporary book about friendship, loss, and realizing the depth of human emotion in those around you. This book is a perfect read for fans of Sarah Dessen and Heather Demitrios.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie loves everything about her small town and is a proud member of the Marching Pride of Acadia which has been invited to march in the Rose Bowl Parade. Amidst a summer of fundraising for the trip, spending time with her best friends, volunteering at the library, and babysitting the neighbor kids, Sophie meets August. Even though August doesn't know who Megan Pleasant is (Acadia's claim to fame when she made it big after being on America's Next Country Star), Sophie works to convince August of Acadia's appeal. Still, her friends aren't sure August deserves to be added to their WWYSE (where would you spend eternity) text thread. Alternating between the last summer before senior year and a text thread with her sister (who doesn't come home from college for the summer), Sophie's story unfolds.

THOUGHTS: Much more than the slow burning romance this book seems, friendship and mystery take center stage among the banter of friends. A must purchase for high school fans of realistic, character-driven romances.

3.5 Stars

This was my first Emma Mills book and she's definitely a distinct contemporary voice. This was an interesting read indeed. It was heartwarming and definitely had that small town feel. I loved the setting and how the love story unfolded. It tackled a lot of important issues, from grief to guilt and what a family truly is.

This one didn't blow me away, thought the twists at the end did enhance this read for me. It was a good contemporary, but nothing that absolutely blew me away. I think it's a great read if you're in the mood for a solid contemporary, but it won't find a place on my favorites shelf.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

It almost unfair to "review" FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN by Emma Mills, because it's Emma Mills. You know that saying, "s/he could write a grocery list and I'll buy it"? It's that but even better because Mill would probably make it sarcastic. She definitely one of my favorite contemporary writers and on my Auto-buy short list.
The only published book by Mills I have not read is THIS ADVENTURE ENDS which I will be correcting since I ordered a copy. Okay, soo0o back to FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN... what can I say. It has everything I love about Mills writing and storytelling: a lovable and related cast of friends, sweet romance and (my favorite) witty, sarcastic dialogue. After I finished Famous, I went on a Mill Bender and read FIRST & THEN (love!), re-read FOOLISH HEARTS and started FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN again.

A lovable, huggable book. Once your finished it you still won't want to put it down.

First thing to know about this review: Emma Mills can do no wrong IMO. I LOVED THIS SO MUCH.

It was the perfect book to read at the time. I was out of town, and stressed out from post-holiday everything. The universe just knew I needed something sweet, with a bit of angst, and just overall amazing. Emma Mills knows that secret recipe, and I'm here for it.

In Famous in a Small Town, Mills writes about the new guy in town and the girl next door into a merry mix. She always manages to find the perfect balance of emotion, humor, and romance to truly engage me. There's just enough amount of this and that. Regardless if I don't normally read contemporary, Mills will always be an automatic yes.

Sophie is a people pleaser, putting forth 100% effort and 100% gumption into the mix. Amidst their summer break, she had goals and ambitions. As someone who hasn't been high school for a long time, it boggled my mind. She knew what she wanted in her mind and she aimed to make it happen.

August. I will not spoil anything about him, but know that I love him. August and Sophie? I totally ship them.

The group of friends that surrounded Sophie and August were the perfect supporting cast. Each with their own personality with their own quick-wit and humor. I want to be a part of Teen Zone 2.

This was about belonging to something, anything, and finding your own identity throughout it all. It’s that real lesson to have to like what’s on the inside. To not identify with the envelope. It took them far, but it’s not who they are. At the end of the story, it wasn't who they are, it's what they did.

Loved, loved, LOVED this. I hope you do as well.

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Overall I enjoyed this book. It had a couple of twists in it that I found surprising. Parts of it were a bit slow for me. However, I thought the romance was cute and I enjoyed Sophie’s interactions with August’s family. I have read other books by this author and would recommend if you have enjoyed her previous books.

Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills follows Sophie, a girl who tries to raise money for her high school band by inviting a famous country musician to her hometown for a music competition. Unlike her sister, friends, and country singer THIS NAME, who seem to want our of Acadia as soon as possible, Sophie loves her hometown. Then, August, a new boy next door moves to town and shakes up Sophie's world. 

I've heard positive reviews about books by Emma Mills, so when I saw this title appear on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. When I started reading Famous in a Small Town, I questioned the hype. The story started slow and I couldn't connect with the characters. However, the second half of the book really improved the story for me and I ended up enjoying the book as a whole.

Like I mentioned earlier, this book started off extremely slow for me. Sophie is from a small town where nothing really happens and it seems like nothing really happens until about 35%-40% of the book, which is where I really found myself invested in the story according to my Kindle. At first, a lot of the character appeared really one dimensional. Her "good girl" friend Flora, her "bad girl" friend Brit, and the mysterious August all fell a little flat for me. Also, the synopsis led me to believe that inviting the famous musician back to town would be a bigger part in the story than it actually was, which made me confused why it took so long to get the ground running.

However, the story really picked up for and I understand why everything looked so cut and dry in the beginning of the story. The main character, Sophie, sees everything as black and white. She has an idyllic view of her town and other people. This point of view at the beginning of the story really spoke to her as a character. As the story goes along, a lot of town mysteries are revealed. Each character has a story that impacts them deeper than what they show on the surface, including Sophie herself, which led to a surprising twist near the end of the book.

Throughout the story, I found myself growing closer to Sophie and her friends. Their friendship is very authentic for high school students and I appreciated each character individually by the end of the novel. I liked finding out little details about each character to understand their motivations which carried the story along. 

I also found that I really enjoyed the overall message of this story. This is definitely a coming of age story where the main character is forced to realize the people and town she has known her entire life are not really what she knows them to be. Even though the books are fairly different this message reminded me of Save the Date by Morgan Matson, which I also enjoyed for this same reason. 

While this book started slowly for me, it was really worth it to see how everything came together at the end, even if it didn't turn out as I expected. I can definitely see myself picking up another book by this author. I give this book 3.5 out of five stars. 

Review will be posted on my blog on January 10, 2019.

Famous in a Small Town was my third book of 2019 and I am 3/3 for books that made me cry. But of the three, this was my favorite. I may have cried but I laughed a lot more. Emma Mills was a happy surprise when I read First and Then a while back and each of her books just gets better and better for me and Famous in a Small Town is no exception. Mills has again created a cast of characters that I want to spend more time with them. Snark and sass galore, complex relationships, secrets and sadness. Loved every second and I will definitely be buying a physical copy when it comes out!

If you haven't picked up any of Emma Mill's books before, Famous in a Small Town is a great place to start!

My rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars. This review is based off an arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for honest reviews.