In this charming and poignant novel that “oozes charm and wit and speaks beautifully about friendship and love, and the differences between the two” (Laura Pearson, author of I Wanted You to Know), teenager Emmie Blue releases a balloon with her email address and a big secret into the sky, only to fall head-over-heels for the boy who finds it. But fourteen years later, everything Emmie has planned is up in the air.
At sixteen, Emmie Blue stood in the fields of her school and released a red balloon into the sky. Attached was her name, her email address…and a secret she desperately wanted to be free of. Weeks later, on a beach in France, Lucas Moreau discovered the balloon and immediately emailed the attached address, sparking an intense friendship between the two teens.
Now, fourteen years later, Emmie is hiding the fact that she’s desperately in love with Lucas. She has pinned all her hopes on him and waits patiently for him to finally admit that she’s the one for him. So dedicated to her love for Lucas, Emmie has all but neglected her life outside of this relationship—she’s given up the search for her absentee father, no longer tries to build bridges with her distant mother, and lives as a lodger to an old lady she barely knows after being laid off. And when Lucas tells Emmie he has a big question to ask her, she’s convinced this is the moment he’ll reveal his feelings for her. But nothing in life ever quite goes as planned, does it?
Filled with heart and humor, Dear Emmie Blue “beautifully captures the heartache and frustrations of carrying our teenaged selves with us wherever we go” (Anstey Harris, author of Goodbye Paris) that is perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Evvie Drake Starts Over.
Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis is a charming tale of love, friendships, and growing up. I just loved this heartwarming tale of a woman struggling to find herself and happiness after a tough upbringing.
When Emmie Blue was sixteen years old, she released a balloon into the air with her name and email address in it. Lucas Moreau found the ballon on a beach in France, and immediately started a friendship with Emmie as they wrote to each other over the next 14 years.
Now, 14 years later, Emmie is in love with Lucas, but he has never moved the relationship from friends to anything more. He asks her to dinner, and Emmie believes the dinner will be the start of their romantic relationship, but instead, he asks her to be his Best Man, as he is soon to marry his girlfriend. And, Emmie accepts the position, which keeps her in close contact with the man she loves, but he doesn’t love her back.
Reading the blurb, this seems like a simple romance, but, it’s so much more. Emmie has a mother who ignores her and doesn’t know her father. She’s been bullied in school, for something she didn’t do, and she feels lost when she released that balloon. The trauma of her childhood is something she still lives with and it shapes her relationships in the present.
The author does a wonderful job of showing us how Emmie’s childhood trauma affects her decisions and relationships in the present. She takes us on a journey with Emmie as she grows and learns to deal with her past in order to move into a more fulfilling life.
Dear Emmie Blue is emotional, funny, and just a joy to read. I loved these characters and was rooting for all of them. My heart broke for Emmie, but watching her put her life back together was such a joy to watch.
I highly recommend Dear Emmie Blue to anyone who loves a good romance.
The narrator was very good, she did all the voices so I was able to understand who was who.
International Covers:
UK Version
German Version
Spanish Version
About Lia Louis
Lia Louis lives in the United Kingdom with her partner and three young children. Before raising a family, she worked as a freelance copywriter and proofreader. She was the 2015 winner of Elle magazine’s annual writing competition and has been a contributor for Bloomsbury’s Writers and Artist’s blog for aspiring writers. She is the author of Somewhere Close to Happy and Dear Emmie Blue.
[…] checked out DEAR EMMIE BLUE by Lia Louis because of Wendy’s charming review on her blog this week. I’m going to start reading that today. Afterward, I’ll read THE HORSE AND […]
Ooh, this sounds good. Unrequited love is so hard. And I always enjoy it when romance novels include other plot lines that round out their characters’ personalities and personal growth.
This sounds fantastic! Also funny side note: I have a friend called Emmi who has a boyfriend called Lucas and this was hilarious when I was reading the description! One I will be keeping my eye on – great review!
Dear Emmie Blue sounds like a wonderfully written and heartfelt story. I like that it offers more than just romance. Thank you for sharing your great review, I’d love to read this one!
[…] I read Wendy’s review of DEAR EMMIE BLUE, I put it on hold right that second at my local library. Fortunately for me, […]
I remember when this first came out and I was wanting to read it. Thanks to your review I’m very interested now. Great review!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2022/04/27/blog-tour-review-not-fooling-anyone-lessons-learned-2-by-allie-winters/
Can you see my likes for this review and your other reviews as I can’t see me when I click on likes for your reviews.?
Another wonderful review! I haven’t heard of this book, but I will be adding it to my TBR.
[…] checked out DEAR EMMIE BLUE by Lia Louis because of Wendy’s charming review on her blog this week. I’m going to start reading that today. Afterward, I’ll read THE HORSE AND […]
those international covers are so wildly different! this book sounds lovely, and i’ll be adding it to my tbr. 🥰
Ooh, this sounds good. Unrequited love is so hard. And I always enjoy it when romance novels include other plot lines that round out their characters’ personalities and personal growth.
Definitely bumping this a few steps up the TBR pile! Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed the audio book, I might look into that platform as well.
Hope you are having a good weekend Wendy!
Elza Reads
Wonderful review! I’ve been eyeing this one for a while and I really should get a copy some time soon. It sounds great!
It was highly recommended to me by several people, and I’m so glad I listened to it.
I’m so glad that you loved this book as much as I did Wendy! Lia Louis has become one of my favourite authors. ☺️
This sounds fantastic! Also funny side note: I have a friend called Emmi who has a boyfriend called Lucas and this was hilarious when I was reading the description! One I will be keeping my eye on – great review!
Zoe x
zbestbooks.blogspot.com
That is funny!!
This sounds like a great, sweet read. Our sixteen year old selves can be so easily hurt and so desperately hopeful!
Yes! It was such a sweet book.
Oh, this sounds like such a lovely book. I’m adding this to my TBR right now and seeing if it’s available at my library.
It’s such a cute book. I hope you enjoy it!
Wonderful review, Wendy. I also loved this story and Emmie.
Thank you, Carla! It sure was a good one!
Aww…this book sounds amazing and one that I think I would really like. 🙂
I think you would enjoy this one, Lark!
I know you were looking forward to this one, glad you liked it 💕
Thank you, Jenny! It was a good one!
Dear Emmie Blue sounds like a wonderfully written and heartfelt story. I like that it offers more than just romance. Thank you for sharing your great review, I’d love to read this one!
Thank you!
I just love this premise. It actually gave me chills. Lol. It sounds so heartwarming and wonderful. Excellent review!
Thank you, Tessa. This was highly recommended to me, and I’m so glad I finally read it.
This book sounds great! Onto the TBR it goes!
I sure hope you enjoy it, Amanda!
This sounds wonderful. Lovely review, Wendy.
Thank you, Cathy!
Oh, this sounds wonderful! I will be adding it to my TBR pile 🙂
It’s such a sweet and lovely book. I hope you enjoy it.