e-ARC, 352 pages
Release Date: June 23, 2015Published by: HarperTeenStand-aloneSource: Edelweiss (This book was given to me by the publishers and the Edelweiss. This in no way shaped my opinion on the book. A huge thank you to both the publisher and Edelweiss.)For fans of: Contemporary Romance, Drama, Chick-lit, Realistic Fiction, Stand-alone, YAEmmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?
Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.
She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.
Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.
He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.
Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?
Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.
*MY THOUGHTS*
This is my first book by Robin Benway and I can assure you, if they are all as well written and as good as this one, it won’t be my last. This book was legitimately like a freaking made for TV Lifetime movie. And let me just point out, if Lifetime would suddenly decide to make this book into a movie, I would NOT be complaining.
“Oliver’s absence split us wide open, dividing our neighborhood along a fault line strong enough to cause an earthquake. An earthquake would have been better. At least during an earthquake, you understand why you’re shaking..”
3%
Since the beginning of their lives, Emmy and Oliver were best friends. The two of them and their circle of friends would do everything together. And then out of nowhere, Oliver is taken away from his family and friends and shakes up all their lives. That is…. Until he comes back. Suddenly Oliver finds out everything he thought he knew, was a lie, and Emmy doesn’t know exactly how to treat him once he’s back.
“Sometimes love isn’t something you say, it’s something you do.”
22%
The first thing I noticed about this book was the amazing writing of Benway. There were huge passages that I highlighted in my Kindle that I wish I could keep forever. The language she used made me wish I had read all her other books. If they are as beautiful as this one, I will be reading everything she has ever written.
“…coming home feels like being kidnapped all over again.”
33%
I also loved the characters. They all felt so real. Will the best they could in this actual situation. I could only imagine what someone like Oliver would actually have went through in this situation. But the way he was portrayed was perfect. Even if I didn’t agree with him, I still loved that he was so conflicted. Anyone in his place would never have been ok. As for Emmy, I loved that she was there for him the entire time. Much like he had never left in the first place. That was the way to show that they were truly best friends.
“You’ve thought about him every day for ten years, so why is it different now?”
36%
As for their romance, I think it was one of my favorites of 2015. They were so cute together and I loved the way they interacted together. I loved how they weren’t always happy with each other, but when they were, it was obvious they were in love. It seemed as if nothing had ever changed for them.
“You still love the kid that left, but I don’t think you like the one that came back.”
68%
As for the plot, it was fast moving for it to be a contemporary romance. It sucked me in from the very first chapter. The uniqueness of this novel helped as well. I NEEDED to find out what happened to the two of them and what happened to his father. Everything in this book made for more questions and I couldn’t put my book down until I found the answers.
“[…] let me hate her […] when I should have been hating […]”
94%
Everything about this book was amazing. From the romance, to the plot, to the characters. It was such a cute book that I plan to book push for the rest of 2015.
Overall, I give this
