At the start, I wasn't terribly impressed. But then about 50 pages in, this book grew on me, and by the time I was done, I was absolutely in love. Sometimes we just need to stick with things to get the full scope. I really loved Emmie Blue and the two men she has massive amounts of feelings for. I couldn't decide between the two, but by the end, I knew which one I wanted Emmie to be with.

It's a feel good book with sweet, simple love. And really, in the times of COVID, we all need a little bit of sappy happiness, do we not? I'm not usually drawn to books like this, but I thought the premise sounded interesting and I'm glad I stuck with it.

4/5 Stars

Dear Emmie Blue is the book I had been looking for for quite awhile. I love historical fiction, mysteries and thrillers; however in the months of this pandemic we are fighting, I needed a book that just made me smile and a character to root for. Emmie Blue is this character. Her mother never learned how to be a nurturing mother. Grrrrr! Emmie is in love with Lucas who found her red balloon that she launched with a message on her sixteenth birthday. They become good friends over tIme and she is hoping that he is going to have a marriage proposal for her when they celebrate their 30th birthdays. Unfortunately, he has other news. I loved following Emily as she maneuvers through life after finding out Lucas’s plans. Thank you Lia Louis for the ending you wrote. My thanks go to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The publisher reached out to me via Netgalley about reading Dear Emmie Blue. The blurb drew me in and as I read my heart was warmed as it reminded me of some of my favourite adult romances, such as Me Before You.

Characters: Emmie is the main character of this story. Emmie is driven by her friendship with Lucas and not much else in her life. She reminds me very much of the female lead in Jojo Moyes' Me Before You. A quirky British girl down on her luck in her life, for good reason and the events of the book, grows her character into someone who lives life in a greater, bigger, more colourful way.
Setting: This story is set between England and France, as Emmie lives in England and Lucas lives in France. They live in smaller towns, it is not a big city kind of a story. The setting was enjoyable as it lent itself to seeing what it is like to go back and forth to Calais both by boat and by car.
Pacing: The story is paced well. There is such effectiveness in how Lia Louis deluged Emmie's backstory that has shaped who she is and where she is in her present life. There are some flashbacks but the pacing very much pushes the story into the present and as you continue to read the gaps of the past are filled in.
Romance: There are multiple love stories that play out over the course of the story. This book really tackles what being in love with someone actually means. This is explored through Emmie's infatuation with Lucas as she spends the vast majority of the novel coming to terms with her feelings about him. Lia Louis also spends time showcasing the relationship Lucas has with his soon to be wife, Marie. And even the more casual style relationship Lucas' brother Elliot has with his girlfriend.

"Dear Emmie Blue" by Lia Louis follows Emmie Blue, a girl who as a teenager released a balloon with a note that miraculously was found by a boy who would become her best friend in a time when things seemed bleakest for her. Fourteen years later, Emmie is dealing with feelings of unrequited love when Lucas is planning his wedding with someone else. As we all know, nothing in life ever goes as planned. Is there any hope left for Emmie Blue?

I absolutely adored this book. Emmie is one of the most realistic characters I've read. She is relatable and real and raw. Life has not been kind to her, but that doesn't destroy her, she has created her own little safety net, much like anyone would attempt to do. I love her spirit and her optimism. Mostly, I love how she feels like a friend you want to root for.

This book had a great flow, with a writing style that was quick and easy on readers. This book was fun and light, although there are slightly darker moments (minor triggers) they do not overwhelm. I think Louis creates a voice that you want to read and hear more and more of.

The ending of this book was definitely predictable, but I loved being along for the ride. Some things that seem so apparent to everyone else, takes time for us to see when we are in it, I think Emmie is a classic case of this. In the end, Emmie finds love and freedom in a place she never thought to look. I gave it 5 stars.

"In nine months, my best friend of fourteen years, the man I am in love with, is getting married to a woman he loves. A woman who isn’t me. And I am to stand right there, at the altar, beside him, as his best woman."

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Dear Emmie Blue was lovely! I really enjoyed the characters and the setting (yes, they all had accents in my head) and thought the author did a wonderful job bringing them to life. While Emmie frustrated me at times, I could sympathize with her and what she was going through.

I liked the whimsical way Emmie and Lucas meet as teenagers! Can you imagine attaching a note to a balloon and having someone an ocean away discover it? It was like a modern day message in a bottle, with Emmie feeling emotionally adrift and distressed. The resulting friendship was something Lucas and Emmie both needed, since they were feeling very alone and isolated in their respective worlds. It was fun seeing how they communicated over the years, and I was so happy that his family embraced her and treated her like one of their own. Found families for the win!

Emmie's mother was awful. She's the main reason Emmie felt so lonely and unmoored in the world. Something terrible happens to Emmie - - something that totally wrecks her and the life she's built - - and her mother says something like, "other people have it worse." What horrible nonsense! A mother should be there for her child, especially when that child has been through something traumatic. I was LIVID. Unfortunately, my intense feelings of dislike towards her mother only increased as the story progressed. She was a selfish, inconsiderate, heartless and vindictive woman.

Despite growing up feeling unloved and uncared for, Emmie finds some really solid friends after college. She's had Lucas for years at this point, but it's not until Rosie, Fox, Louise and Eliot, that she really finds a group of people that truly care about her. Rosie was hilarious and I would love to be her friend, Fox had a dry sense of humor that never failed to make me smile, Louise was a wonderful women that I'm happy Emmie had a chance to get to know while renting a room in her home, and then there's Eliot. I adored him from the start, but it took ages for him to really grow on me as a potential love interest for Emmie. I had reservations because she had them, and rightfully so. It was amazing how the author developed their relationship over time - - slow, slightly forbidden, and definitely worth the wait.

There is a lot going on in Dear Emmie Blue, but the story never felt overwhelming. Emmie is dealing with her mother (horrible woman), an absent father, sexual abuse (that keeps her from pursuing jobs she'd like and causing panic when memories resurface), unrequited love, planning a wedding as best woman, a job that makes her happy but doesn't pay enough - - it was exhausting. I don't know how she held it together for long, and can totally understand why she cried a lot throughout this book. Seriously, she was sobbing on someone's shoulder or alone in her bed every other chapter. The girl was dealing with a lot of emotional stuff.

I thought the author realistically portrayed the inner turmoil Emmie was feeling, and I only wish her friends hadn't coddled her quite so much. They were all afraid of shattering the carefully crafted life Emmie had created (since it had happened before), and no one was willing to just tell her what she needed to hear (except Louise). I think if people (the ones that truly cared about her) had been more honest from the start, it would have saved her a lot of heartache. Regardless, everything felt authentic and entirely plausible.

The ending really warmed my heart, and made Emmie's journey worth it. Her life still isn't perfect, but it's definitely better than it was. She's learning to be her own person without someone else's influence, and I think she realized she'd relied too much on Lucas until he was no longer an option. She would drop everything whenever he needed her, and it wasn't unusual for him to flake when their roles were reversed. He was a really good friend to Emmie, but I do think he took advantage of her sometimes. But back to the ending - - YES. It was perfect. A little late... but perfect. (★★★★⋆)

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this book! It felt like a hug in book form if that makes sense. Emmie Blue was a fabulous protagonist and I wanted nothing but the best for her! It left me in tears with the biggest book hangover and I'd love to read it again. It's easily in my top ten favorites for the year.

The synopsis of this book was great. I was looking for something different and it was much needed. The first third of this book was interesting and appropriately paced. The middle drug on. The ending was happy and wrapped up as the reader would like. Even with the slow part, I very much liked this book.

Wow! I was not prepared for all of the emotions Dear Emmie Blue gave me! I read this book in just a few short hours and it completely ripped my heart apart and put it back together.

Serendipity is the word that best describes this book. Sixteen-year-old Emmie Blue releases a balloon into the air with a note tucked deep inside with her email address and deepest secret. An ocean away, a boy the same age finds the balloon and responds to her note, thus beginning a very long and deep friendship. But Lucas doesn’t know that Emmie has fallen in love with him and she believes he feels the same way.

Emmie just knows Lucas is about to propose on their mutual 30th birthday, but something else happens that shocks her to her core. And so begins a beautiful, heart wrenching tale of love and friendship.

I am so glad I received an advanced copy of this fantastic read. I was not expecting for it to hit me the way it did. I felt completely connected to the characters and didn’t want the story to end. This was a rollercoaster of emotions and will leave you pining for an amazing love story. Released today so buy your copy now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A cute story. Kind of predictable, but still threw a couple of curveballs at you.

Dear Emmie Blue is a delightful romance that began in childhood when sixteen-year-old Emmie attached a hurtful secret to a balloon and sent it off in the air. Lucas found it and emailed her response and so began a life-long friendship. Because they share a birthday, the have always celebrated together. Their thirtieth is approaching and Emmie is certain Luc will ask her to marry him. Instead, he asked her to be his best woman at his wedding. After she throws up, she says yes.

Luc is her dearest friend, of course, she said yes but it is very hard to help the man you love marry someone else. She does her best; It’s no help that Luc’s brother Eliot is always around. Eliot betrayed her secret when she was young. She’s held that against him all these years but as they work together on Luc’s wedding she begins to see another side of Eliot



Dear Emmie Blue was an enjoyable romance. I like Emmie and her friends. I liked Luc and Eliot. I liked everyone but Eliot’s girlfriend and Luc’s groomsman. They were such cliches.

The most intriguing part of the story was Emmie and her mother and her desire to know her father. You can understand why Emmie feels she does not deserve happiness when you meet her mother. I love how Emmie came to know her landlady and find friendship there. Emmie is meek and it was a delight to see her find her strength and grow into a woman who believes she deserves to be happy.

I received an e-galley of Dear Emmie Blue from the publisher through NetGalley

Dear Emmie Blue at Atria Books | Simon and Schuster

Lia Louis author on Twitter.

I ADORED this book. Ok, so Rosie and Fox - can I be their best friends?! Rosie is an absolute QUEEN! She shines light on Emmie and allows her to have the spotlight and pushes her to grow! Emmie came to realizations throughout the book that I was so proud of! I missed the characters when I wasn’t reading the book. I didn’t want to put it down! It was a story of being enough for yourself and the journey to get to that self-acceptance. Emmie gave me Louisa Clark from Me Before You vibes, and I loved those books and the movie!! I would say it’s one of my favorite books of the year! I just loved this book so much!

I wouldn’t generally characterize myself as a spiritual person, but I do believe in fate and the idea of “meant to be”—so I immediately connected with Emmie and her absolute conviction that the circumstances under which she met Lucas as a teenager meant they were destined to be together. Only problem? He doesn’t seem to have gotten that memo. (Or maybe he has? Boy is a tease, that much is for sure.)

What ensues is a cute story about how sometimes what’s really meant to be is a tad less obvious. I wouldn’t call it a pure fluff read, as it touches on a number of fairly heavy subjects, but it is ultimately a love story. And not just in the sense of romantic love—we go on a journey with Emmie as she realizes she is worthy of being loved by herself, family, and friends as well. A little predictable in spots, but overall highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for a gifted review copy of Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis. All opinions are my own.

Dear Emmie Blue is an enjoyable read. Emmie has spent her life wanting someone to love her. One day she shares a secret when she releases a red balloon. Lucas is the boy who finds Emmie's balloon. A friendship develops and before long they are best friends.

This story alternates between the present and memories of the past. It is told from Emmie's point of view. The beginning of the book moves at a slower pace but soon it picks up and will have you wanting to know what will happen to Emmie and Lucas.

I really enjoyed this story. At times I found that I didn't care for Emmie as much as some of the other characters. I loved her coworkers and Louise. I wish I could tell you my favorite character but I'm not giving anything away.

Definitely worth reading.

Women's Fiction
June 14, 2020

I have never heard of this author but I am definitely going to look for her in the future. I really enjoyed this easy read.

Emmie hasn't had the most stable life. In fact, the only stable things she's had is her best friend, Lucas. And now he's getting married ?!?!?!?! Ernie starts going through all the emotions when you know there is going to be a change in a relationship. Does she love Lucas? Has she always loved Lucas? Should she tell him? Is she in love with him or the idea of him?

I really enjoyed this read. My favorite character was Rosie. I need a friend like her ! Check everyone does.

Thank you Netgalley and to the publisher for letting me read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Teenager Emmeline Blue releases a balloon with a note containing her email address and a BIG secret that changed her whole life in a huge way. She has no idea if anyone will ever respond or even care, but when she gets a response from Lucas Moreau, a boy in France who finds her balloon a few weeks later, thus sparks an intense friendship. Now fourteen years later and secretly in love with Lucas, Emmie is convinced the big dinner he planned is to ask her a “big question” and is finally the moment she has been waiting for her whole life...until Lucas says he’s getting married to someone else and asks her to be his “best woman.” What happens next is a whirlwind of self discovery and life lessons for Emmie, which forces her to really evaluate their friendship and what she truly wants out of life. ⠀⠀
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Right off the bat, I immediately was drawn to Emmie, her life, her personality, so much so that I’m sitting here now wondering what she is up to. Without giving too much away, Emmie and her story about her broken family and the mess that is her love life drew me in and I could not put this down, I was so invested and I wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay. The characters in this novel were all so endearing and wonderful and I loved the friendship between Emmie, Lucas, and Lucas’ hawt brother Eliot. Her story touched on so many things, such as overcoming a trauma, discovering what and who you truly want in a partner for life, ignoring that nagging feeling that you are being forgotten, and finding out what the true definition of “home” is. Ugh I just loved this novel so much, but I don’t want to give too much away.
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🍷to sum it up: *warning* there is some serious trauma, broken home, coming of age, creative writing style, singular perspective, love triangle, feel good novel, super heartwarming and yes I did cry, I would totally recommend and heck yes id read again! ⠀

This was a cute love story. But it was slow and felt like nothing was really happening for the majority of the book despite the fact that there were so many subplots going on at once. Overall, it was a cute, quick read but I probably wouldn't choose to read this again.

This book blew me away. I was a bit nervous at the beginning, hoping this wouldn't end in a big, cliché blowup at a wedding; but the author took the "I'm in love with my best friend" trope and executed it so tastefully. And not just that storyline, but also Emmie's relationship with her mother and father, the assault in her childhood and how she processed that over the years - all written with care, with an emotional connection that I felt in my bones.

This book is deep and moving and heartwarming. I absolutely loved joining Emmie on her journey to find love, peace, and acceptance of herself in Dear Emmie Blue. Once I started, I couldn't stop.

I will be encouraging everyone to pick this one up! One of my favorites of the year.

I enjoyed this book but I did not love it. I almost put it down about 1/3 of the way through but someone told me to keep going. I'm glad I did because I did not expect the whole Elliot part of the story. I did tear up when Louise left her the house. it also really stressed me out when Elliot left. I think I just wanted more steam in the book since I am a romance reader and enjoy steamier books.

Wow. That was sooo much better than I expected!
I loved the plot, the scenery, the characters, I loved everything!
Rosie was by far my favourite character, but I honestly can't find fault with any of them.
They were all exactly who they needed to be.
Thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for my DRC.

DEAR EMMIE BLUE is the story of long time friends Ellie and Lucas . I found myself getting emotional while reading, waiting to see which way they were going to go and I love that. When an author can make me cry, I know I’m reading a heart-felt book and I’m going to recommend it to all my book buddies.

Lia Louis, you owe me a box of tissues! There isn’t a single thing about this book that I didn’t love. It was wonderful, mesmerizing, hypnotizing, heartbreaking and breathtaking.

This is going to be a shorter review because my honest opinion is that it’s best to go into DEAR EMMIE BLUE knowing as little as possible about the actual story so I won’t tell you anything that’ll ruin the experience here. But I can say that I was hooked from the very first page and completely drawn into these characters’ lives. I loved that the story was serious but little parts made me laugh out loud which broke up the more emotionally charged scenes. I swooned, proclaimed my undying love for DEAR EMMIE BLUE and had to take many breaks to wipe the tears that were flowing freely down my face more than once. These characters will break your heart over and over again just like they did to me.

As much as I love Ellie and Lucas, I was just as emotionally invested in all of the secondary characters. Overall, is a fun nostalgic ride, learning how Emmie and Lucas became friends and all that they experienced. I have never read Lia Louis books before, but DEAR EMMIE BLUE is emotional and pulls on the readers heart strings. If you are in a reading slump, Lia Louis will pull you out. Her writing and plots just flow so easily that you will be flipping the pages quickly.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.