Better Left Unsent" by Lia Louis is a fun light read that effortlessly weaves humor, heartbreak, and hope into a story you won’t want to put down. From the very first page, I was drawn into the world of relatable characters and a narrative that feels as though it’s speaking directly to the heart.

Lia Louis has an extraordinary gift for exploring the nuances of human emotion. The protagonist's journey is beautifully layered, filled with moments of vulnerability, self-discovery, and resilience. The writing is poignant and lyrical, yet refreshingly witty, striking the perfect balance between lightheartedness and depth.

The themes of love, forgiveness, and the importance of communication are explored (with a little hint of spice) that left me reflecting long after I’d finished the last page. Louis crafts a story that feels intimate and universal all at once, with twists and turns that kept me eagerly flipping pages until the very end.

This book is a testament to the power of words—those said, unsaid, and better left unsent. It's a must-read for anyone who loves stories about life’s messy, beautiful complexities and the strength found in vulnerability.

unfortunately this was just not for me, but i have enjoyed others by Louis and i will try her next book as well!

I couldn’t get into this book. I honestly skimmed the last half because I just lost interest. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Such a cute, fun story! I loved reading about Millie’s journey of self growth and related deeply to her need for people to like her- everyone.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

Lia Louis's Better Left Unsent introduces readers to Millie Chandler - who has my personal nightmare happen to her when her personal emails are set out. What happens from there are the madcap antics of dealing with the consequences of that action. There were some slight pacing issues that I felt while reading, but I will look forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy (and trade paperback copy) in exchange for my honest review.
I love Lia Louis' writing. She develops quirky characters whom always provide me with second hand embarrassment. Millie has inadvertently sent all of the hate mail sitting in her draft folder and then events which followed had me smiling, laughing, and wanting to die of embarrassment.
This book was not quite as emotional as Louis' other books, but it was a great deal of fun.

Thank you so much @AtriaBooks for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 21 May 2024)

SYNOPSIS | Millie writes draft emails as a way to get all of her thoughts out (the good, the bad and the ugly), however she never intends for them to ever be read by the recipient. One night a computer glitch causes every single one of her drafts to get sent to her boss, her coworkers, her ex-boyfriend, her best friends and her recent crush.

WHAT I LIKED:
- such a fun concept for story and ongoing conflict
- many humorous moments sprinkled throughout
- the inclusion of email and text exchanges

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- despite the premise of the book being extremely cringeworthy and anxiety inducing, I didn't really feel that there was a huge dramatic fallout from it
- the general pacing was pretty slow going (the story suffered a bit from repetitiveness)
- didn't have that heartbreakingly emotional tug that Dear Emmie Blue had
- I didn't really find myself caring about the romance between Millie and Jack

BETTER LEFT UNSENT was a novel that didn't quite work for me. I've been trying to decide it I misinterpreted the synopsis, of if it failed to deliver, or if it's the writing. Maybe a mix of all three?

There are some aspects that I enjoyed (trying to go after what she wanted), some that were surprising (the ex boyfriend's fiancée at the end), and some that just weren't great (everything to do with the awful ex boyfriend). The romantic element seemed to have been forced in, but I could see it working if this was TV/movie instead.

Might give the author another chance.

I laughed out loud so many times while reading! Who hasn’t written out their honest thoughts before only to be too scared to hit send?! Unfortunately for Millie, her emails were sent and there’s nothing she can do now except for damage control. This book was comical, witty and a delight to read!

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis!

This was a cutie little book and worth the read to me! I think my book club girls will love it too! I love Lia Louis so no big surprises here! Thank you so much for the review copy, netgalley!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Lia Louis is absolutely becoming an "automatic buy" author whenever any new novels are published! Better Left Unsent is a wonderfully realistic coming of age novel with a bit of romance mixed in. After reading this book, the audience will understand why the hurtful truth sometimes indeed needs to be said out loud.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Publishing for the chance to read this novel.

A cute, standard rom-com. I’ve enjoyed Louis’s other novels so much, but this felt unremarkable compared to the others.

i really wanted to love this book, but i found it a little lacking according to my personal tastes. the main female character is unlikable and slightly insufferable, i didn’t care much for the main male character, and their romance is lackluster at best. i did enjoy the premise itself, which is why i wanted to read the book in the first place, but my main issue lies in the execution. despite this, it was an okay read. i wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, but i finished it, so there’s that.

It's a realistic nightmare, having all of your unsent emails just spontaneously send. Yet it manages to be comedic even as the disaster of it all spurs a chain of events through pretty much every single relationship the FMC has.

This book was a DNF for me. I got to 30% and decided it was not for me. Hopefully it will be a good fit for someone else!

3.5 stars. The beginning was a slow start for me, but it picked up about 20-30% through. I'm so glad I finished reading it because as always, this is another warm and cozy and fun Lia Louis book that makes me feel like all is well in the world when I'm done reading.