No one writes a romcom like Lia Louis. She’s been an auto buy author since her debut Dear Emmie Blue and was so excited to read her newest Better Left Unsent! Lia did not disappoint. I enjoyed the side characters and stories of Millie’s best friend Cate, Millie’s roommate Ralph, and Millie’s parents and how they were incorporated into Millie’s story. I also quite liked her coworker Jack & his ability to recenter when her folder of email drafts—thoughts she wrote out like a diary with no intention of ever sending—were mysteriously sent from her work computer. All her private thoughts and gripes were sent to their sources: co-workers, friends, and family.

First things first, I will read anything Lia Louis writes. Her books are full of humor, vulnerability, and heart! Better Left Unsent is a slow burn funny, endearing, work place romance. The main character, Millie, is relatable and you find yourself rooting for her along the way. If you love this one I highly suggest you check out her other books as well. Dear Emmie Blue has stayed on my mind for years. I can't wait to see what Lia Louis comes up with next! 4 stars

Easy breezy light read with a charming female lead that readers will truly root for! Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy that will be sure to put a smile on your face!

If you want to read a book that becomes a master class in anxious avoidance and “what the heck does he see in her?” this is the book for you.

I was initially enamored with the premise and even the first few pages… and then, unfortunately, the rest of the novel devolved into something else entirely. The pacing was glacial and repetitive, and the denouement was… kind of infuriating? I get what this novel was trying to accomplish, but I do not think it was successful.

I really enjoyed Cate, Petra, and Jack as characters, but I really, really wanted Millie to grow a backbone. Unfortunately, this was not the book for me.

The book starts with hundreds of Millie's draft emails being sent. Whenever she was upset at work or had a thought not fit for public consumption, she would write an email to the person and save it in her drafts folder, and she says it was sort of like a diary. In those hundred plus emails, she calls out her mom, her two best friends, and probably ever coworker. The message to her ex from the book description ends up with an audience.
I felt for Millie, and I really wished her ex would leave her alone.
The first part of the book was a little slower for me, but things picked up in the second half, especially as Millie began interacting more with a coworker she had a crush on.
The end was sweet. Good summer book.

This was my first Lia Louis book and it was a fun read. I will say, at times I was annoyed with the FMC and her decisions, but she was a bit emotionally abused, so it fit her character. I did love her growth, though; her coming BACK into herself and who she is, at her core. That would also be thanks to our swoony MMC, Jack Shurlock. I loved his character so much! He is tender and thoughtful, caring and has no 💩 to give. Cate and Ralph were wonderful side characters, as well as Petra.

Thank you, NetGalley, for my eARC of this book for my honest review.

I’ve always had an irrational fear of mistakenly sending an email — whether that’s sending one to the whole company on accident, or sending before I’ve finished editing, etc. When I read the summary of this book, I realized those fears were nothing compared to the nightmare our protagonist, Millie Chandler, finds herself in.

Millie has spent the past few years venting her feelings in emails that she never sends, and instead saves to her drafts. This form of catharsis works great for her, until one day, a server glitch results in all of the emails being sent (like I said, it’s a nightmare!).

Millie is left to clean up the mess by trying to make amends with those who have been hurt by the emails, and also by looking inwards and realizing that maybe some of the comments deserved to be shared. She has help navigating this along the way, notably from her cute coworker, Jack. There are funny moments and heartbreakingly relatable moments, and I found myself thinking about what I would do if I were Millie.

Overall, “Better Left Unsent” is a fun read that I’ll be recommending to people all summer long!

The premise of this book almost made me too anxious to actually read it! But I am sure glad that I did! I liked all the different personalities and found the development of Jack and Millie’s relationship to be realistic (though at times I wanted to rush things along for my own satisfaction!)

This is the first Lia Louis book I have read and I look forward to digging into her back catalog!

Better Left Unsent follow Millie after her draft email folder is accidently sent out. Her drafts folder is where she keeps emails that she would have liked to send (containing her actual thoughts) but chose not to in order to be polite and professional.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot line. Millie was initially horrified and embarrased about her emails. I thought that it took a little too long for Millie to stop apologizing to everyone but liked her character arc. I thought this wasn't as good as the author's previous books, but still enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At the start of this novel, office receptionist Millie comes into work one morning to find that all her saved email drafts have been sent. Might not be so bad for most people, but it’s a big problem for Millie because she uses them almost like a diary/therapeutic thing - she’ll write a draft that she never intends to send just to work out her feelings and say the things she’d never say out loud - to her friends, family, co-workers, and perhaps most humiliatingly, the response to the wedding invite email to a co-worker ex-boyfriend that is cc-ed to the entire office! Eek! Millie’s life appears messed up for sure, but just maybe it will turn out to be the kick in the pants she, and some other people she emailed, needed to change their lives.

This was a really cute and funny book. I have read and loved Lia Louis’s three previous books (Dear Emmie Blue, Eight Perfect Hours, and The Key to My Heart), so of course I was excited to get an early copy of this one. Her books are usually a little more serious than you would think from the cover/description, but I’d say this one actually was lighter - usually I compare her books to Jojo Moyes but this one I’d say is more akin to Sophie Kinsella. It was a very fun read that has you first cringing for Millie and then cheering her on to both find herself, stand up for herself, and find new romance, with an appealing cast of friends backing her up.

I’m a huge fan of mixed media and a large part of this book was just that so it was fabulous! BETTER LEFT UNSENT was laugh out loud funny. Millie was an endearing heroine and everything I love in a character. She was funny, vulnerable, and humble. The accidentally sent emails were h i l a r i o u s. I had tears in my eyes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for this ARC!

Millie uses her work email as a diary. She drafts emails detailing her real feelings about people in her professional and personal life but leaves them unsent. When she discovers that all her emails that hold her secrets have been sent, she is forced to deal with the fallout and fix the fractures her emails have created in her life and the lives of others.

Better Left Unsent is a funny story with a touch of mystery. Although I don't think it's believable that anyone working in the corporate world would do what Mille did, I enjoyed reading about how she navigated the situation. I felt secondhand embarrassment for her, but I think Millie handled things the best way she knew how. It's impossible not to root for Millie. There are some really fun side characters in this story that make this an entertaining read.

Unfortunately, some sections are a bit slower, and there didn't seem to be much going on. Things pick up a bit during the last 30-40% of the story. I love twists, so when there were questions about how the emails were released, I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen. Better Left Unsent is British Chick Lit, so the writing could be confusing for those who aren't into that genre.

Overall, this was a fun and heartwarming read. It's a slow-burn romance with an ending that will leave you with a smile on your face.

NARRATION:
Ashley Tucker did a wonderful job with this story. It took me a moment to get used to her accident, but once I was set, everything flowed well. Ashley provided the perfect voice for Millie and brought her to life. Without having access to this audiobook, I am not sure I would have been able to finish this book. Ashley's performance absolutely enhanced my experience with this story.

Thank you to Lia Louis, Atria Books, Simon Audio, and Libro FM for the gifted digital and audiobook copies.

oh lia louis you never let me down!!! she knows how to write the fluffiest lil romcoms that will simultaneously have you grinning and kicking your feet in the air … and clutching your heart and sobbing… 🤭

I immediately fell in love with the story from the first page - I mean, who doesn’t have a nightmare about their diary, unsent emails, deepest darkest thoughts coming out? 🫥 BUT in the case of millie, it actually happens… and her life is immediately thrown in chaos… which is when her hot boss jack comes to save the day 😲🤤

okay so it’s not as cut and dry as that - but I am firmly here for hot idgaf british attitude jack shurlock (I MEAN HIS LAST NAME IS BASICALLY SHERLOCK HOLMES 😮‍💨) he is my newest book boyfriend and I am claiming him so hard!!!! from his “so what” flippant attitude to “this time I couldn’t leave” at the end 😭 brb sobbing!!!

millie’s circle of family and friends are what made the story the greatest though. from her workplace family who actually treat her like dirt sometimes, to her actual family holding her to the highest of stakes, and her friends who may or may not be getting on her nerves, everything millie has ever wanted to say to them is out in the open and I loved seeing the reconciliation of that knowledge presenting differently in everyone!!!

this was such a wholesome story for those who are only holding themselves back… and for those with the worst ex in the world that deserves nothing less than trash…

thank you a million times to atria for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!!!! 🥰

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley rosé

4.5 stars

Have you had an internal thought about a co-worker, family member or friend but kept it to yourself wishing that you could say it out loud, to their face? Millie has, and as an outlet, has over 100 drafted emails with such responses. It was cathartic for her in a way, to get the feelings off her chest. Unfortunately, after a server crash, all of her draft emails were sent out. Even one that was a reply all to her ex, about how she misses him and was caught off guard when he was suddenly engaged. Now Millie is left to try and clean up her mess with apologies and baked goods. She just wants things to go back to the way they were.

I absolutely loved Millie! LOVED her. The way she was made to feel so small and how she withheld herself. I loved watching her rediscover herself and her passions. It certainly didn’t hurt when Jack Shurlock was helping as well. Their chemistry is off the charts. Round off the cast with her best friend Cate and her flat mate/landlord Ralph and you have a superb cast. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. This book has everything. Lia Louis is climbing the charts as one of my favorite authors to read. I was hard pressed to put this down.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I am a true Lia Louis fan! Her newest work follows suit of her past writings: endearing characters, and a unique plot that not only captures your attention but your heart!

Can you imagine if suddenly secret writings meant only for your own eyes was suddenly sent out in the world? Millie has that unexpected experience when her draft emails (words she wrote as a way to let off steam, kind of like therapy) that she never meant for anyone to see. The emails are mysteriously sent whether by a fluke of the server or on purpose by someone...emails that affect both her work and her personal life. There are emotional moments and moments of hilarity as Millie tries to deal with this new life that makes her deal with unresolved feelings and situations.

I adored the romance with Jack! And while the ending was a little rushed and our heroine felt younger than her years due to some of her actions, I still smiled and routed for Millie to get a happy resolve by the end.

4.5 stars

I'm 85% in and I cannot read another page of this book. Yep. I'm quitting st 85%. What happens? How does it end?
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Don't know. Don't care.
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Never have I ever read a book with a more unlikable heroine. She is weak, dishonest, and so insecure it is painful to read.
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I know what you're thinking because I thought the same thing: "Keep reading. This is going to make for great character growth!" But with 15% left in this book, she is still this spineless character.
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I cannot read a final few chapters in which she suddenly morphs into a decent person, who magically begins to care more about others (and herself) than she does about avoiding feeling mildly uncomfortable.

So disappointing.

I REALLY wanted to love this one so bad, BUT I found it to be so boring and repetitive. Miller was extremely annoying and chaotic and I just could NOT deal

3.5 Thank you Atria Books for the gifted eARC

Milie Chandler’s life is turned upside down when all of her draft emails get sent out en masse. Not one for confrontation, Millie would use these unsent emails as a way to express the things she could never actually say. So when everything is out in the open, she is left scrambling to get her work life and personal life back in control.

Lia Louis is one of my very favorite contemporary authors. I adore her witty dialogue, secondary characters, complicated relationships, and the women learning to become the main characters of their own lives (à la one of my all time favorites - Iris Simpkins). All of these things can be found in Better Left Unsent, but this book didn’t quite grab me in the way her previous books have.

I find it’s a vicious cycle when a book doesn’t grab me early on - I end up reading it distractedly in little chunks, which usually then makes me lose more focus and the process worsens. Better Left Unsent got this treatment, so please know this may have been a victim of those circumstances.

The premise of this book made me a bit nervous going in, because it sounds like my worst nightmare come true!! But it actually played out very well and was not overdone. There were some great secondary characters in this book, but they were a little more one dimensional than some of Louis’ other novels. For me, the biggest downfall was the romance. I never found myself all that interested in the MMC and the romantic pacing didn’t create a slow burn that I think was intended for this book. There was also a secondary conflict happening in the story that didn’t weave in very naturally.

Although this was not a big win for me, I will be anxiously awaiting whatever story we get next from Lia Louis. Also, let me take this opportunity to please please please ask you to read Dear Emmie Blue if you have not yet done so!!!

💌 Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

First Lia Louis, and definitely not my last 🥹

I couldn't imagine if what happened to Millie happened to me. All my secrets and private thoughts exposed? All the things I wish I could say but couldn't for some reason sent to the world... without my permission? I'd probably be so embarrassed. 😳

But it will also gave me a sense of freedom, just like it did Millie. Make me want to be more open and brave enough to tell the world what I really think. To be true to myself and not conform to what others think I should be.

This was so heartwarming! Although there were some sad and difficult events to deal with, overall it was hopeful and encouraging.

I love love Millie, and was glad to see her growth throughout the book. I love her amazing friends who supported her through her rough patch, even while going through their own rough patches.

And the romance is oh-so-sweet and swoony too. I just love how straightforward he is to Millie, and pushed her to be more open and adventurous. They are a really good match, they balance each other out. (Hero's name retracted, find out for yourselves 👀)

This book is just so... human. It's beautiful.

P.S. I love that Millie got the grand gesture!! Awww 🥹

Read if you like:
💖 Heartwarming stories
🥰 Solid and supportive friend groups
👫 Family and relationship drama
✨ Cute banter and chemistry
📽️ Quirky costumes

Other details and mild spoilers:
Closed door, kissing only
Single first-person POV
CW: emotional manipulation, cheating, alcoholism

4.5 stars! I received this book as an ARC for review. I have to say I really enjoyed this book. The main characters were likable. Millie seems to be finding herself, but also dealing with a whole load of baggage from the emails sent. The MMC was supportive of her and I loved their flirtation. Their connection felt natural. It was closed door, and I think adding some spice would have sealed the deal for me. The Friendship with Cate and Petra, as well as Ralph were well written and developed. I even appreciated the mature conversations that developed with the other female characters and coworkers as a result to this email. I thought this book had a unique premise, and I was not disappointed. I will give it 4.5 for lack of spice, which always enhances the relationship for me.