Author: Lia Louis
Publisher: Atria / Emily Bestler Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Imani at Simon & Schuster

Goodreads:  In this charming and poignant novel, teenager Emmie Blue releases a balloon with her email address and a big secret into the sky, only to fall head-over-heels for the boy who finds it; now, fourteen years later, the one thing Emmie has been counting on is gone for good, and everything she planned is up in the air.

At sixteen, Emmie Blue stood in the fields of her school and released a red balloon into the sky. Attached was her name, her email address…and a secret she desperately wanted to be free of. Weeks later, on a beach in France, Lucas Moreau discovered the balloon and immediately emailed the attached addressed, sparking an intense friendship between the two teens.

Now, fourteen years later, Emmie is hiding the fact that she’s desperately in love with Lucas. She has pinned all her hopes on him and waits patiently for him to finally admit that she’s the one for him. So dedicated to her love for Lucas, Emmie has all but neglected her life outside of this relationship—she’s given up the search for her absentee father, no longer tries to build bridges with her distant mother, and lives as a lodger to an old lady she barely knows after being laid off from her job. And when Lucas tells Emmie he has a big question to ask her, she’s convinced this is the moment he’ll reveal his feelings for her. But nothing in life ever quite goes as planned, does it?

Emmie Blue is about to learn everything she thinks she knows about life (and love) is just that: what she thinks she knows. Is there such thing as meant to be? Or is it true when they say that life is what happens when you are busy making other plans? A story filled with heart and humor, Dear Emmie Blue is perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Evvie Drake Starts Over.

Ope’s Opinion: This story started out slow and kind of depressing.  It took too long for Emmie to get out of her funk and open her eyes to see who and what was right in front of her.  No one seems to say what they are really thinking or feeling.  Luke can’t even tell anyone the color of suit he wants to wear.  I got a little frustrated with the characters. Her mother was a mess and very hurtful.

As I read, it did get somewhat better.  I am glad I finished it, but not sure I would  be able to pass it on.  Read the other reviews – I am in the minority on this one.