A review by ericadawson
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is the first romcom/contemporary I've picked up in years. I was pleasantly surprised!

My own gripes were some details that were a bit too gross for me and the age difference between Penny and Sam. Sam's mentioning at least twice that Penny was young (he is 21) bothered me a lot, to the point that this book lost some points. It's weird. Penny could have been 19 and I don't think I would have cared.

But otherwise, the characters here are very earnest, honest, and loveable--all of them. While Penny still seems as though she deals with internalized misogyny considering how she views her mother, I appreciate that it wasn't something that went totally unresolved. At the same time, she came across as slut shamey in some parts. 

I liked Sam more than I expected. I actually preferred him to Penny in many cases. Sam felt like his conflicts (both internal and external) were more real earlier on.

over I enjoyed this. The real score is 3.7 stars.
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