Better Left Unsent is a heartfelt, witty, and deeply relatable story about love, timing, and the words we never say. Lia Louis captures the emotional nuance of relationships so beautifully—I laughed, teared up, and rooted for every messy, wonderful moment. A perfect read for fans of character-driven romance.

This sweet story gave me major Bridget Jones Diary vibes. Relatable for anyone who has every worked in an office environment,

I’ve rated this author’s previous books all 4.5 & 5⭐️s. This one I really struggled with; hence the late review. I understand this is a fiction story, but I ultimately never felt fully invested because I just couldn’t wrap my mind around how far fetched the set up of this story was! Who in their right mind would be so risky to write venting email drafts they never plan to send!? That just doesn’t make sense. Girlfriend, get a journal, use the notes app or something! Or even better a therapist! I also found the MFC to be described one way and her actions another. Will I read this author again? You bet! Until next time.

The story follows, Ellie, whose life takes an unexpected turn when a long-lost letter from her past resurfaces, forcing her to confront unresolved feelings and the relationships that have shaped her. It’s a novel about finding closure, the courage to move on, and embracing the potential of new beginnings.

Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis is a book with an insufferable FMC. This was a very painful read, I do not recommend it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a few other books by Lia Louis and have enjoyed them so I was happy to pick this one up. However, this one just didn't quit work for me and I can't exactly pin down what it was. The story line was cute but I just never really connected with the characters in this one. I will still pick up this author in the future and hopefully the next one works for me. Thank you Netgalley and Atria for my gifted copy for review.

Not into this one unfortunately, just found it a little bit boring and the characters did not make me like them.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. This book started off by giving the gut wrenching feeling knowing that you’ve made a mistake. I love how at the end she says this is all of us. We’re all human.

I really wanted to love Better Left Unsent, but unfortunately, it just didn’t hit the mark for me. The premise sounded promising but the execution felt flat. The characters weren’t as engaging as I hoped, and I struggled to connect with their emotions. Some of the pacing felt slow, and I found myself getting frustrated with the repetitive nature of the story. It just didn’t resonate as deeply as I expected. While the concept was cute, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me.

This book was so much better than I was expecting it to be. I loved Millie and could relate to her a lot. Owen is the worst, but made for a good story.

Spoiler:

I wish Mille and Jack had a better relationship. It felt kinda dry and maybe forced? Idk. It wasn’t my favorite book couple, but would definitely recommend this one!

I am a huge fan of Lia Louis' writing and thoroughly enjoyed Eight Perfect Hours, The Key To My Heart (I gave it 5 stars) and Dear Emmie Blue. I was excited to pick up Better Left Unsent because the premise of a girl accidentally sending private rants / thoughts by email to her entire department at work sounded right up my alley.

Better Left Unsent is a book about a woman trying to find herself after a very painful break up -- the romance between her and the MMC Jack is secondary to the plot (which is why I think I'm rating this book only 3 stars?). The writing was ok albeit slow and repetitive and unnecessarily sad and depressing at times. In addition, I wasn't a great fan of Millie as a MFC. She came across as immature and dare I say I wasn't sure at times why Jack was into her? I think overall this book had some fun moments and sweet relationships -- but overall I found it to be forgettable. I know that's a terrible word to put in a book review! Even though Better Left Unsent was a miss for me, I'll definitely be picking up Lia Louis' next novel!

I absolutely loved this book! It was beautifully written. This book made me fall in love with Lia Louis’ writing and led me to reading every single book she has written.

Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis is a delightfully original story that immediately captured my attention. The premise—accidentally sending unfiltered emails—is my absolute worst nightmare, but Millie navigated the fallout with vulnerability, humor, and heart. Lia Louis’ writing is sharp, funny, and full of warmth, making this book both hilarious and touching.

Better Left Unsent is yet another winner from Lia Louis!

I loved the premise of this book, because while I don't write unsent email drafts as a form of stress relief or venting, I do sometimes write drafts when I'm feeling emotional and then decide to sleep on them before sending...and 9 times out of 10, I end up NOT sending them. So I could relate to Millie and could imagine the horrifying, humiliating, awkward way I'd feel if all of my drafts somehow got sent.

I really enjoyed Millie as a character, and I love that even with the large cast of characters in this book, they were each distinct and identifiable, even if they only appeared in a few scenes in the book. The writing was light, fun, and easy - even when tackling heavier topics. I could feel Millie's emotions through the page. This book also made me laugh out loud at several points, which is always a plus.

I thought it was cool that even though this is more of a lighthearted rom-com read, it had a "whodunit" element to the plot that kept me guessing and forming my own theories about how Millie's email drafts all got sent.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one and it was just what I needed as a palette cleanser after reading a few heavier books. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

One thing I really liked about this book is how likable all of the characters were, even the smaller side characters. This book was sweet, funny, and the perfect read for fans of early 2000s romcoms!

Millie finds herself in a conundrum after a faulty server sends her drafted emails out-the emails she used as sort of a diary and never wanted people to see. Great and unique premise, however not quite real or relatable? I struggled to relate or feel any empathy towards the MFC which is a bummer. If this scenario happened to me I would have no friends, no job, no life…but things just seemed to work like okay for Millie. I enjoyed the beginning and probably the last 5% but the middle dragged a bit. I appreciate the opportunity to read a copy provided courtesy of NetGalley and Atria and provide my honest thoughts.

Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis is a delightful, witty, and heartfelt novel that explores the perils of keeping secrets and the unexpected consequences of honesty. Millie Chandler, a thirty-year-old receptionist, has spent the past two years carefully guarding her emotions after a public heartbreak. She hides her true feelings, even her unspoken love for her ex, through sarcastic and often hilarious emails that never see the light of day—until a server mishap sends them all out into the world.

What follows is a whirlwind of chaos as Millie must confront the fallout of her emails, which include everything from bitter truths to unrequited love declarations. As she navigates the aftermath, Millie is forced to face the unresolved issues in her life, her relationships, and most of all, her own heart.

Louis' writing is sharp, filled with humor and depth, making Better Left Unsent both entertaining and emotionally resonant. The story is an honest look at the messiness of life and love, and how sometimes, you need to let go of control in order to heal. Fans of witty, character-driven novels with a mix of humor and heart will find this an irresistible read.

I love reading Lia Louis. Her books are always full of relatable, lovable, and vulnerable characters. Better Left Unsent tells the story of Millie Chandler who has the habit of writing down her grievances about her job, coworkers, family, and friends as email drafts using her work account. Those are never to be seen by anyone but somehow all her drafts were sent to the entire company. Millie finds herself in a very awkward and embarrassing situation but with no other options, she continues to work and face everyone she somehow offended.
The premise of the story is crazy and highly unlikely (at least I hope so) but I still found it very funny and loved reading how Millie got herself out of the sticky situation and in the process, learned how to be herself again and go after her dreams.

If you’re looking for a quirky and light read for this summer, Better Left Unsent is a great option.

Tropes: workplace romance, strangers to lovers, clean romance

⚠️Trigger warning: emotional abuse

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, Emily Bestler Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Lia Louis. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Millie Chandler's heart was broken in public two years ago, and she vowed to keep all her emotions to herself ever since. But to get those feelings out, she writes emails that she never sends expressing her opinions - to her boss and coworkers, friends, and family. She just never sends them, keeping them in her drafts folder on her computer. Then one day, after a computer glitch at work, all her emails get sent. Can Millie mend all the fences she just magnificently mowed down?

Isn't this a worst nightmare for anyone using email? To have something sent to someone that was never intended to reach them? Millie's draft emails were the perfect way to get out all those feelings we have but can't express without hurting others or ourselves, until the worst happens. Lia Louis always writes books that touch on your emotions, and this one did that with a situation so relatable. There are lots of unlikable characters in this book as well as the mystery as to how those emails really did get sent. A nice, light read to curl up with on these cold days!

I was much more charmed by this than I expected to be! The premise still feels a little insane - everyone knows you don't actually put in the email address when you're writing a draft you don't ever want to send - but I liked that it ended up being only the catalyst of the book and not the main plot point. I liked Millie as a protagonist and the variety of issues she was forced to confront in the wake of her email fiasco. I also thought the "reveal" worked really well and helped to highlight some of the character dynamics. I wasn't super into the main ship, which made the middle section drag A LOT, but I did find the ending satisfying. This felt very cozy and British in a way that worked for me.