Actual rating: 4.5/5

This was an incredibly cute book! I was kinda scared going into this because of all the hype that surrounded it. I mean, I read a ton of glorious reviews and I just started thinking it couldn't possibly be as good as I was starting to expect it, could it? Well, turns out it TOTALLY could. Granted, my expectations by the time I actually picked it up had shot way over the roof, and the book did turn out to be slightly different than I had thought, but still this was a really good read.

For starters, I really liked the characters. All of the characters had their own personality and unique traits, even the secondary ones. So often I find books in which secondary characters just all feel like they could very easily fade into the background and I would hardly notice. Not this time. Every character had a personal story to develop, some issue to face, some obstacle to overcome, and they all did it in a very realistic way. I particularly liked the fact that the parents were present, and they behaved surprisingly like normal people, facing their fears and making mistakes no doubt, but ultimately trying to do the best by their children.

I also enjoyed getting to know the group of friends. Caro and Drew didn't seem to be there just to fill in the gaps left by Emmy and Oliver's story. They were as much a part of the story as the main characters, and they are just the kind of friends every teenager (and let's face it, every adult) would wish for. They're the kind of friends you can always count on, no matter what; the ones you can argue with, and laugh with; share your joys and your troubles. But they don't just fall in the typical YA "supportive-best-friend" category. They have their own issues to face and their own lives to figure out, and that was just incredibly refreshing.

As for the main characters, well, Emmy and Oliver are definitely the centre of the book (guess the title kind of gave that away). Emmy has been waiting for her best friend to return ever since he disappeared, cherishing the last memories of him that she made. Oliver has no idea who is anymore. His whole life has been turned upside down, and he has to start building it again, without really knowing whom he can trust. I liked the way their relationship built up slowly, and how it developed after that. Honestly, these two were SO incredibly cute!

I also liked the way they worked to solve their issues, and they did a lot of growing up by the end of the book. They're trying to figure it all out as they go along, when they have had some really unusual and scarring experiences, and it is great. Oh, and Emmy's sarcasm and wit were just THE BEST!

Overall, this is really good read. I did have some issues with the plot (which I won't go into because spoilers!), but it was pleasant to read, had some adorable characters and was just the right mix of sad and funny. Definitely a must-read if you love YA contemporary! ( )

4.5 Stars. Cute and serious at the same time. I was SUPER into this book and thought the relationship between Emmy and Oliver was perfection. There was also an awesome, supportive friend group who, although kind of corny at times, made the book really fun. Emmy's parental situation made me so mad. And her lack of balls when it came to standing up to them pissed me off even more. It was cool to read about YA parents that were present-- even if they were completely on the other side of the spectrum.

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Emmy and Oliver are best friends in second grade, when one weekend, Oliver leaves with his dad, and never comes home. Ten years later, he’s found and brought home. But what do you do when “home” is neither the place you were raised or the place everyone tells you should feel right, when the person the rest of the world insists is a criminal is the one who raised you, while the parent who was wronged feels like a stranger? A story of friendship and family.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
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OH MY GOODNESS, WOW, THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!

I fell so in love with these characters, and I hated that they had to through all that they did, because they did not deserve that!

This book was funny, and sweet, and touching and emotional, and also really deep and thought provoking all at once!

I quite liked Emmy. She wasn't my favourite character in the book, but she was a really real, flawed person.

I also loved her friends! I sort of can't remember either of their names, but they were well developed, and their friendship made me happy. Because it was a real, and positive friendship, and that was awesome to read!

And then there was Oliver. I adored Oliver. I felt SO bad for him, because he was so pure and sweet, and he'd been through so much, and I just wanted him to have a nice, happy life.
I also loved the way his relationship with Emmy developed. It was awkward of course, and I was so sad for them that they'd been separated for so long. They could have had a great friendship all their lives, but instead they were forced to start anew... It wasn't an easy relationship to regain, but they did eventually. I also liked how there was friendship before there was romance. It turned to romance fairly quickly, but not before they'd had time to get to know each other again, and I really appreciated that.

Honestly I didn't have any problems with this book. It was sweet, and sad, and so perfect. I am SO happy I read this book. ( )

I am writing this review as I am still crying from the last 20 or so pages of the book. Robin Benway is amazing and she deserves all the praise in the world. I loved this book from cover to cover, and it will always have a special place in my heart.

You can guess that it's YA or that it's a love story, but it is so much more than that. It is about family, about fear, and about happiness, or filling the gaping hole inside of you with the one true thing you're missing.

Reading this book was like having a best friend for a week. It was intimate, and felt like a hug. I read it before work, at my lunch, and at Starbucks. I read it in bed at night. I languished in it, and never let it go. Until I just finished it, tears rolling down my eyes.

Please buy Emmy & Oliver, or borrow it from your library, and read it. Follow Robin Benway on twitter and tumblr. Wish that you could write your way into someone's soul like she has done into mine. ( )