Book Review – Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis

Rarely do I read a contemporary romance novel and rate it as a five star read, so when I do you will know it is something special.

Emmie Blue is a charming thirty year old woman who has overcome many hardships in her life. She has a father which she has never known, and a mother who she has had limited contact with since she was fourteen. She has recently come out of a relationship which was difficult in itself, but also required her to move from her own place to renting a room at the home of an older woman. Luckily she has her friends Rosie and Fox, who work with Emmie at the hotel, and her best friend Lucas who is affectionately known as balloon boy.

Emmie first met Lucas when she was sixteen. She had released a balloon with a note only to have it found over 100 miles away by Lucas. The two initially became pen pals, but eventually grew to a relationship between two best friends. As the years passed, Emmie began visiting Lucas and his family frequently. Emmie has secretly always had romantic feelings for Lucas but neither pursued this kind of relationship. As Emmie’s thirtieth birthday approaches, Lucas calls and asks Emmie to come to France for the weekend as he has something important to ask her. Emmie feels that Lucas may be asking her to marry him. Instead, he announces his upcoming wedding to someone else, and that he wants Emmie to be his “Best Woman”.

The story is told in two time frames – then and now. While there are sad moments in this story, there are just as many moments of joy. It is a story of friendship, kindness, and love. The character development is excellent – I really felt I knew Emmie well. Indeed, I was rooting for Emmie to have the life she so desired and deserved. I loved her relationships with those around her – she is never unkind or insensitive. She was particularly compassionate with her landlord, a quality that really provided an outlet for Emmie to shine. I highly recommend this book to those who want to read a lovely piece of fiction.

I listened to the audiobook version which I borrowed from my local library. Katy Sobey is perfectly cast to narrate this book and provides a sweet, youthful and articulate voice to Emmie. If you are an audiobook lover, I would recommend this version which provides an additional level of enjoyment to an already amazing book.

My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5.