Emmy and Oliver

Goodreads Summary

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

What Did I Think?
I adored this book! I had seen it on Goodreads just before it was released and thought that it would be an adorable yet heart-wrenching read. I was right. It was the perfect blend of heartbreaking and heartwarming. You can't help but feel terrible for Oliver, but you also can't help but love his connection with Emmy. Contemporary gold!

When Oliver comes back after being away for 10 years it's pretty much what you'd imagine. The press are everywhere, his peers at school are hellish, and his old friends are told to "give him space".  He spent the past 10 years thinking one thing and then everything is turned on its head. There is a quote in the book that I think pretty much sums up everything, “Coming home is like being kidnapped all over again”.  How heartbreaking is that?

Thank goodness for Emmy. Emmy is Oliver's childhood best friend and next door neighbour. She  doesn't go out of her way to re-friend Oliver, but she doesn't treat him like a sad little puppy either. Their friendship is good for both of them and it develops nicely. It's hard to not imagine what their relationship would have been like if he wasn't taken from her.

I absolutely adored this and see myself reading it again (which doesn't always happen). I think you should read it too!