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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Told from the POV of Emmy this was a heart warming story of finding your way back to normal after a traumatic event shakes a family and community's foundation.
While the story was fantastic there were a few editing issues that popped up and were hard to ignore. The author forgot the timing of things a few times, saying something happened at one point when it had really happened at a different time. There were also a few instances of information being repeated when it wasn't needed. But I loved the book anyways.
Emmy & Oliver is very similar to the MTV series Finding Carter, except even though he is confused and frustrated and angry Oliver doesnt lash out in a blatantly rebellious way like the show's Carter does. And I absolutely adored Emmy. I found her to be completely relatable to an everday kind of girl. I was excited to see the two of them piece their friendship back together. It seemed obvious they were meant to be friends in their easy way of communicating, even having spent years apart.
Emmy & Oliver is a sweet and easy read. While it tugs on the heartstrings it still manages to keep things light. Highly suggest picking it up if you have a lazy afternoon free!
While the story was fantastic there were a few editing issues that popped up and were hard to ignore. The author forgot the timing of things a few times, saying something happened at one point when it had really happened at a different time. There were also a few instances of information being repeated when it wasn't needed. But I loved the book anyways.
Emmy & Oliver is very similar to the MTV series Finding Carter, except even though he is confused and frustrated and angry Oliver doesnt lash out in a blatantly rebellious way like the show's Carter does. And I absolutely adored Emmy. I found her to be completely relatable to an everday kind of girl. I was excited to see the two of them piece their friendship back together. It seemed obvious they were meant to be friends in their easy way of communicating, even having spent years apart.
Emmy & Oliver is a sweet and easy read. While it tugs on the heartstrings it still manages to keep things light. Highly suggest picking it up if you have a lazy afternoon free!
More like 3.5. It wasn't bad persay. I just thought there would be more to it? I had to drag myself to finish it.
I've made no secrets of my love of Robin Benway's books, but this isn't your typical Robin Benway book. The great characters, the humor, and the wonderful family relationships and friendships were there, but there was also this overlying seriousness to the book that in same ways worked really well, but in other ways held me back from 100% connecting with the story.
Emmy and Oliver knew each other from birth, they lived next door to each other and their parents were good friends. Oliver had just admitted his love for Emmy in a note when he goes away with his dad for the weekend (his parents are newly divorced) and he never comes back. The story starts with Emmy thinking about Oliver, something she's done a lot over the last ten years, and then all the sudden she finds out that Oliver has been found living in New York City and he's coming home. Emmy's parents, who are extremely overprotective, partially due to Oliver's disappearance, tell Emmy to be both nice to Oliver and to give him space to adjust to back into life in their California suburb. Emmy, who is adorably awkward, tries to keep her distance, but she's missed her friend and they quickly start to rebuild their friendship and even start to build a romance.
Let's get the thing about this book that drove me nuts out of the way first. Scattered throughout the story are snapshots of Emmy and Oliver when they were younger. Playing at the park together, going to little league games, going to birthday parties and more. It's not like I didn't like these looks back at their lives, but they also felt awkward and very juvenile. Like I thought they were fine, but it's something I think teens, who want to be seen as adults and not kids, might struggle with.
The place where this book excels is its families. And I feel like it's silly of me to point that out because it's a Robin Benway books so of course the families are going to rock, but still. The families in this book are a little different though. She written about complex families before, Maggie's parents recruiting her to be a spy, Roux's parents virtually ignoring her, and Jesse's dad being kind of evil in the Also Known As series, but these parents felt different. Emmy's parents are incredibly overprotective, to the point where I think teenagers will hate that and wonder why Emmy puts up with it. Then there are Oliver's parents, his dad who kidnapped him and his mom who's been a mess ever since. One of the big issues with Oliver's return is that Oliver doesn't think his dad is a criminal. Obviously Oliver is upset that his dad took him away from his mom and lied to him for 10 years, but he doesn't hate him like everyone else around him does.
The friendships in this story also stand out. Emmy and Oliver were also friends with Caro and Drew and Emmy has stayed best friends with him, but when Oliver comes back it's very much just him and Emmy. Caro and Drew resent this in their own way at first and the way that Benway had Emmy balance all of these relationships and the way that Oliver and Drew and Caro all reacted to each other and interacted with each other was really fascinating.
And then there's the romance. I have to say that this didn't quite live up to the epic romance I wanted it to be, but that's not really a knock on the story because the romance was still pretty great. I love boy next door romances and best friend romances so this one was right up my alley. While it did sometimes feel like the romance came on a little strong and that Oliver needed some space, Benway still did a good job of making Oliver and Emmy friends first and put the kissing and the romance second.
Bottom Line: In the case of Emmy and Oliver Robin Benway stepping out of her comfort zone turned out really well. It's not a perfect book, but it the relationships (family, friend, and romantic) make the book stand out and give it a lot of heart.
I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss (thank you!). All opinions are my own.
This review first appeared on my blog.
Emmy and Oliver knew each other from birth, they lived next door to each other and their parents were good friends. Oliver had just admitted his love for Emmy in a note when he goes away with his dad for the weekend (his parents are newly divorced) and he never comes back. The story starts with Emmy thinking about Oliver, something she's done a lot over the last ten years, and then all the sudden she finds out that Oliver has been found living in New York City and he's coming home. Emmy's parents, who are extremely overprotective, partially due to Oliver's disappearance, tell Emmy to be both nice to Oliver and to give him space to adjust to back into life in their California suburb. Emmy, who is adorably awkward, tries to keep her distance, but she's missed her friend and they quickly start to rebuild their friendship and even start to build a romance.
Let's get the thing about this book that drove me nuts out of the way first. Scattered throughout the story are snapshots of Emmy and Oliver when they were younger. Playing at the park together, going to little league games, going to birthday parties and more. It's not like I didn't like these looks back at their lives, but they also felt awkward and very juvenile. Like I thought they were fine, but it's something I think teens, who want to be seen as adults and not kids, might struggle with.
The place where this book excels is its families. And I feel like it's silly of me to point that out because it's a Robin Benway books so of course the families are going to rock, but still. The families in this book are a little different though. She written about complex families before, Maggie's parents recruiting her to be a spy, Roux's parents virtually ignoring her, and Jesse's dad being kind of evil in the Also Known As series, but these parents felt different. Emmy's parents are incredibly overprotective, to the point where I think teenagers will hate that and wonder why Emmy puts up with it. Then there are Oliver's parents, his dad who kidnapped him and his mom who's been a mess ever since. One of the big issues with Oliver's return is that Oliver doesn't think his dad is a criminal. Obviously Oliver is upset that his dad took him away from his mom and lied to him for 10 years, but he doesn't hate him like everyone else around him does.
The friendships in this story also stand out. Emmy and Oliver were also friends with Caro and Drew and Emmy has stayed best friends with him, but when Oliver comes back it's very much just him and Emmy. Caro and Drew resent this in their own way at first and the way that Benway had Emmy balance all of these relationships and the way that Oliver and Drew and Caro all reacted to each other and interacted with each other was really fascinating.
And then there's the romance. I have to say that this didn't quite live up to the epic romance I wanted it to be, but that's not really a knock on the story because the romance was still pretty great. I love boy next door romances and best friend romances so this one was right up my alley. While it did sometimes feel like the romance came on a little strong and that Oliver needed some space, Benway still did a good job of making Oliver and Emmy friends first and put the kissing and the romance second.
Bottom Line: In the case of Emmy and Oliver Robin Benway stepping out of her comfort zone turned out really well. It's not a perfect book, but it the relationships (family, friend, and romantic) make the book stand out and give it a lot of heart.
I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss (thank you!). All opinions are my own.
This review first appeared on my blog.
I received a review copy of Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway from Simon and Schuster in exchange for a review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.
I heard about this book for a while. It sounded interesting and I was hearing really good things about it. So when it arrived in my PO I couldn’t wait to read it.
Emmy & Oliver follows Emmy as she deals with the return of her best friend Oliver after he was kidnapped all those years ago. They were best friends before he disappeared and as the years went on they could have been something more. But when he returns he is a stranger – a very hot stranger at that.
If you are looking for a not so dramatic contemporary that will put a smile on your face, than this is the book for you.
I first thought that this book would be full of drama, a book full or running from the bad guys, guns, police, but it wasn’t and It’s what I liked about it. It was a fun read that had me smiling way too much and I am going to admit there was some tears shed as well.
One of the things that I liked about Emmy & Oliver is that it all felt real. I truly liked Emmy as a character, like the story, she felt real. She was fun to read. She had this nature about her that I just loved. She was easy to read.
From the get go we see a strong friendship between Emmy and her two friends. It’s rare that we see such a strong bond in YA, but their friendship is also real. They have their fights but they are also there for each other. But there is something missing. It’s like Oliver is the missing piece of the puzzle.
When he returns everything doesn’t just go back to normal like a snappy romanced novel, it’s real. Everything is awkward, they don’t know how to treat each other, and they don’t really know who the other is. I loved seeing their friendship grow, between both Emmy and Oliver and the group of 4 friends.
The book was honest with everything. The way that the friends interact, the way that Emmy and her family are with each other, how Emmy and Oliver are with each other.
Robin Benway is a brilliant writer. Emmy & Oliver took me away. It was such an easy read that I was able to read it in a day. She was able to capture what it was like for a teenage who both has protective parents and wants to be free. I connected with Emmy in that way; I just wanted to hug her and tell her that everything is going to be alright.
The romance was just so cute. It was the slow burning kind that I love – Emmy and Oliver have known each other for years but when he comes back and they have to start from the start all over again. It’s sweet seeing them interact with each other.
Even though this book seems light hearted most of the time, it’s not. Oliver was kidnapped as a child and he has to come to terms with that most of this life was a lie. There are some pretty heartbreaking scenes that had me chocked up, especially the ending.
Emmy & Oliver is full of feels. It will take you on a journey that makes you laugh and cry. You will want to hold both Emmy and Oliver in your arms and you will want a friendship that they have within their groups of friends. Emmy & Oliver is honest, real and bittersweet. It tells an important story of growing up, friendship and family. This book is for every contemporary lover and those who are not.
I heard about this book for a while. It sounded interesting and I was hearing really good things about it. So when it arrived in my PO I couldn’t wait to read it.
Emmy & Oliver follows Emmy as she deals with the return of her best friend Oliver after he was kidnapped all those years ago. They were best friends before he disappeared and as the years went on they could have been something more. But when he returns he is a stranger – a very hot stranger at that.
If you are looking for a not so dramatic contemporary that will put a smile on your face, than this is the book for you.
I first thought that this book would be full of drama, a book full or running from the bad guys, guns, police, but it wasn’t and It’s what I liked about it. It was a fun read that had me smiling way too much and I am going to admit there was some tears shed as well.
One of the things that I liked about Emmy & Oliver is that it all felt real. I truly liked Emmy as a character, like the story, she felt real. She was fun to read. She had this nature about her that I just loved. She was easy to read.
From the get go we see a strong friendship between Emmy and her two friends. It’s rare that we see such a strong bond in YA, but their friendship is also real. They have their fights but they are also there for each other. But there is something missing. It’s like Oliver is the missing piece of the puzzle.
When he returns everything doesn’t just go back to normal like a snappy romanced novel, it’s real. Everything is awkward, they don’t know how to treat each other, and they don’t really know who the other is. I loved seeing their friendship grow, between both Emmy and Oliver and the group of 4 friends.
The book was honest with everything. The way that the friends interact, the way that Emmy and her family are with each other, how Emmy and Oliver are with each other.
Robin Benway is a brilliant writer. Emmy & Oliver took me away. It was such an easy read that I was able to read it in a day. She was able to capture what it was like for a teenage who both has protective parents and wants to be free. I connected with Emmy in that way; I just wanted to hug her and tell her that everything is going to be alright.
The romance was just so cute. It was the slow burning kind that I love – Emmy and Oliver have known each other for years but when he comes back and they have to start from the start all over again. It’s sweet seeing them interact with each other.
Even though this book seems light hearted most of the time, it’s not. Oliver was kidnapped as a child and he has to come to terms with that most of this life was a lie. There are some pretty heartbreaking scenes that had me chocked up, especially the ending.
Emmy & Oliver is full of feels. It will take you on a journey that makes you laugh and cry. You will want to hold both Emmy and Oliver in your arms and you will want a friendship that they have within their groups of friends. Emmy & Oliver is honest, real and bittersweet. It tells an important story of growing up, friendship and family. This book is for every contemporary lover and those who are not.
I started this one right after finishing [b:Far from the Tree|33830437|Far from the Tree|Robin Benway|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501680687s/33830437.jpg|54757933] , and I enjoyed it just as much!
The cover is a bit misleading to me. Without reading a synopsis, it looks like a cutesy YA romance. While there was some romance, and it was actually really cute, the book was much more than that. I loved the friendship between all of the characters. The author did a great job of showing the grey with non-custodial kidnapping. Once Oliver was returned, it was expected that he would hate his father and assist in any way possible to bring justice, but things were a bit more complicated than that after being raised by him for 10 years.
Emmy's parents drove me nuts, but I can understand how the fear and trauma of a local kidnapping could turn parents into the overprotective nightmares that they became.
Overall, it was a great story with a sweet ending that left me sad that my library doesn't have any more of her e-books available. I am going to look elsewhere, because I now want to read everything she has.
The cover is a bit misleading to me. Without reading a synopsis, it looks like a cutesy YA romance. While there was some romance, and it was actually really cute, the book was much more than that. I loved the friendship between all of the characters. The author did a great job of showing the grey with non-custodial kidnapping. Once Oliver was returned, it was expected that he would hate his father and assist in any way possible to bring justice, but things were a bit more complicated than that after being raised by him for 10 years.
Emmy's parents drove me nuts, but I can understand how the fear and trauma of a local kidnapping could turn parents into the overprotective nightmares that they became.
Overall, it was a great story with a sweet ending that left me sad that my library doesn't have any more of her e-books available. I am going to look elsewhere, because I now want to read everything she has.
Sweet, tender, friendship. Everything I could have asked for in a sweet YA novel. I loved Emmy and Oliver. Emmy has an amazing sense of humor and I loved the honesty between Emmy and Oliver. I loved the friendship dynamic that Emmy, Caro, Drew, and Oliver had. A sweet book.
I wanted to like this story more than I did. Like other reviewers I would love to have had Oliver narrate part of the story. I think hearing his POV would have given it more depth.
Reading Challenge 2017: A book with a title that's a character's name
Romance e drama na medida certa! O Oliver tem uma história muito triste, pois foi raptado pelo próprio pai quando tinha 7 anos e passou a vida toda acreditando que a mãe tinha o abandonado. 10 anos depois, ele descobre a verdade e volta para sua verdadeira casa.
Emmy é sua antiga vizinha e amiguinha de infância. Ela e sua família acompanharam toda a dor da busca por ele nesses anos. Como não poderia deixar de ser, todos ficam muito surpresos e ansiosos pelo reencontro com o garoto. Porém, as coisas não são tão simples como parecem. Ele não é mais aquele menininho que sumiu, e os outros também já não são como ele se lembrava.
Achei super interessante a forma como eles relatam o quando foi difícil para ele lidar com isso, se sentindo como se tivesse sido sequestrado novamente, tendo que encarar pessoas e situações completamente estranhas novamente.
Emmy também tem uma história muito interessante com sua própria família. Ela gosta de surfar e já escolheu em qual faculdade quer estudar, mas seus pais não sabem de nada disso. Durante anos, com o apoio dos melhores amigos, ela consegue esconder seus segredos para não causar confusões com seus pais. Porém, um dia, a verdade vem...
O romance entre os dois é bem fofo. Se você está em busca de grandes cenas quentes de paixão, esse livro não é pra você. Mas, para quem gosta de um romance mais inocente e prefere focar nos pensamentos, posso dizer que irão curtir muito essa leitura.
Romance e drama na medida certa! O Oliver tem uma história muito triste, pois foi raptado pelo próprio pai quando tinha 7 anos e passou a vida toda acreditando que a mãe tinha o abandonado. 10 anos depois, ele descobre a verdade e volta para sua verdadeira casa.
Emmy é sua antiga vizinha e amiguinha de infância. Ela e sua família acompanharam toda a dor da busca por ele nesses anos. Como não poderia deixar de ser, todos ficam muito surpresos e ansiosos pelo reencontro com o garoto. Porém, as coisas não são tão simples como parecem. Ele não é mais aquele menininho que sumiu, e os outros também já não são como ele se lembrava.
Achei super interessante a forma como eles relatam o quando foi difícil para ele lidar com isso, se sentindo como se tivesse sido sequestrado novamente, tendo que encarar pessoas e situações completamente estranhas novamente.
Emmy também tem uma história muito interessante com sua própria família. Ela gosta de surfar e já escolheu em qual faculdade quer estudar, mas seus pais não sabem de nada disso. Durante anos, com o apoio dos melhores amigos, ela consegue esconder seus segredos para não causar confusões com seus pais. Porém, um dia, a verdade vem...
O romance entre os dois é bem fofo. Se você está em busca de grandes cenas quentes de paixão, esse livro não é pra você. Mas, para quem gosta de um romance mais inocente e prefere focar nos pensamentos, posso dizer que irão curtir muito essa leitura.
I really liked this one. Sweet story about Emmy, a girl under lock and key because her parents are afraid something will happen to her because Oliver the boy-next-door was kidnapped by his father when they were 7-years-old. The suffocated Emmy is written with heart and humor and Oliver has his own issues after living a lie with his father on the lamb for almost 10 years. Lots of drama, a sweet romance, and some fun side-characters (Caro was my fav) make for a quick and read.