Loving Emily

May 29, 2012 Nicola rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, young-adult, romance, indie

This book has been reissued as ''Any Other Night''

Well, this book seriously took me by surprise! It wasn't anything like I expected it to be but I don't mean that in a bad way. I figured it would be a light and easy romance but it was way deeper than that. Loving Emily tackles many difficult issues and it tackles them well. I really regretted starting it late at night because it meant I couldn't sit and read it until I finished. Pfeffer had my attention caught from the very first page and it was...more This book has been reissued as ''Any Other Night''

Well, this book seriously took me by surprise! It wasn't anything like I expected it to be but I don't mean that in a bad way. I figured it would be a light and easy romance but it was way deeper than that. Loving Emily tackles many difficult issues and it tackles them well. I really regretted starting it late at night because it meant I couldn't sit and read it until I finished. Pfeffer had my attention caught from the very first page and it was so hard to set this book down as I got so invested in the characters and the story.

Loving Emily is told from the point of view of a teenage boy, Ryan. Even this was refreshing and done well. I find that 99% of the books I read are from a girl's point of view because usually, the ones told by a guy are full of action and not the kind of book I'd usually pick up! So it was nice to have a boy talking about every day life and realistic problems. Ryan loses his best friend, Michael, in a car accident and blames himself for not being able to stop it. This book follows Ryan's journey through his grief. We see him trying to come to terms with losing friend while trying to make up for what he sees as his failures.

While the relationship between Emily and Ryan is intense and central to the story, it's not overpowering and there is a lot more going on in the book than just that! Ryan gets caught up with some serious business involving a girl who Michael used to be with. From this we see how genuinely nice Ryan is and how committed he is to always trying to do the right thing. While he tells himself he's just doing it all out of guilt, you can tell he's truly interested in just helping out and hates to let people down. I really liked that about him and found him to be a likable protagonists and very easy to relate to feel sympathy for.

I didn't find Emily as likable for a lot of the book but as it goes on, we learn more about her and see why she acts the way she does. Ryan and Emily really don't know what they're doing in life and it's interesting watching them try to navigate their way through a whole bunch of crazy situations! I loved the writing in this book. It flows well and Ryan's voice is so distinct and believable. It's very easy to get caught up in the story and the emotions of the characters. I also don't think I saw any formatting or typing errors which is always a plus!

Overall, reading Loving Emily was an enjoyable and unpredictable experience. I would certainly recommend it to fans of contemporary YA novels and I can't wait to see what else this author has to offer in the future.(less)

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May 19, 2012 Fred rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Sarah Dessen, Sarah Ockler, Tammara Webber, Molly Ringle

Recommended to Fred by: Amy Saldana

This book was a pleasure to read and experience. I wish I could remember how I found it, so I could properly thank the wonderful Goodreads friend who recommended it, and try to reciprocate with an equally charming book. The story starts with MC Ryan so smitten with his lovely classmate Emily that he tells his life long friend Michael (boys don't do bff's, sorry)he'll have to drive himself to Emily's sweet sixteen party so Ryan can get there early and maybe have a chance at conversing with Emily...more This book was a pleasure to read and experience. I wish I could remember how I found it, so I could properly thank the wonderful Goodreads friend who recommended it, and try to reciprocate with an equally charming book. The story starts with MC Ryan so smitten with his lovely classmate Emily that he tells his life long friend Michael (boys don't do bff's, sorry)he'll have to drive himself to Emily's sweet sixteen party so Ryan can get there early and maybe have a chance at conversing with Emily before she gets swept up in the festivities. When Michael does finally arrive, trashed with his scuzzball new friend Chase, Ryan tries to help his friend out, despite his egregious party manners, but things don't work out and Michael drives off alone. Cue the music for uh-oh, some bad stuff is about to happen. When it does, Ryan blames himself, especially his desire to be with Emily, for Michael's death. Ryan has some other issues to deal with too. His parents are emotionally and physically absent, leaving Michael and his charming twin second grade sisters alone most of the time with their surrogate parent, Rosaria, the housekeeper of their Hollywood mega mansion (I hope she has help, this sounds like one of those places where dusting is a full time job!) Academically, he's in a bit of a slump, and he gave up on tennis after Michael's earlier overdose drove an even deeper wedge between Ryan and the fam. Speaking of tennis, Michael's brief encounter with Chrissie, the cute aspiring actress who works in the pro shop, has left some complications. Ryan sees helping Chrissie as a way to redeem himself for failing his friend, but things get complicated. As his reluctant relationship with Emily deepens (he doesn't deserve to be happy, when M is dead!), the conflicting commitments he's made pull him in different and demanding directions.

Not that many YA books like this (a family drama, coming of age with romantic overtones) feature a male protagonist, so that is a refreshing change. It's always great, to me, to know what the guy is thinking, they are usually so opaque, and to be left wondering what is on the girl's mind. Ryan is a great character, he initially comes across as a little too good to be true, but as you come to know him you begin to understand where his maturity and seriousness have come from. The way the romance develops with Emily is sweet and tender, and yes, very intense. The supporting characters are interesting, well developed and real feeling (Emily's father, especially is quite the piece of work), and contribute to the rich immersive world the author creates. Seeing Ryan find his way as he tries to do the right thing (and it's not easy sometimes to figure out what that is!), is touching and draws you deeply into the world of the story. This is really a wonderful book, and I urge you to give yourself over to the pleasure of enjoying it!

Note: This book has been retitled as "Any Other Night," and has a new cover now. You can find it here!

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Dec 02, 2011 Jolene Perry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, will-re-read

This book is SO UNEXPECTEDLY AMAZING!!!
Halfway through.
May stay up late tonight to finish.
She's NAILED guy POV, and nailed the YA experience.
LOVE

Okay. I stayed up late to finish.
It has been so long since a book just knocked my socks off. I think anyone who rated this anything lower than a 4, just didn't appreciate her use of language the way they should have. This is not an ordinary YA coming of age kind of book. It was a good guy, trying so hard to do the right thing, and still feeling like he...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Angelic rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book because Ryan is such a great guy. Its a story about a guy who loves a girl but feels obligatede to do the right thing for his friend who passed away in a car accident. But he finds that doing the right thing was having an effect on his relationship with his girlfriend. If you ask me Emily was selfish. Ryan was trying to do the right thing and if she loved he she should have supported him and even helped. If she didnt like that he was helping Chrissie so much she shoul...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Thamy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Do you believe in karma? Ryan does. Ryan has been in love with Emily forever and he decides that the night of her sweet sixteen party will be the night he will declare his love for her. Sadly his plans don't go as planned and his best friend Michael shows up at her party completely wasted. What to do?
Ryan knew that his friend needed him but he promised to Michael and to himself that he would be away just for a few minutes while he said goodbye to the girl of his dreams but when he returned to th...more Do you believe in karma? Ryan does. Ryan has been in love with Emily forever and he decides that the night of her sweet sixteen party will be the night he will declare his love for her. Sadly his plans don't go as planned and his best friend Michael shows up at her party completely wasted. What to do?
Ryan knew that his friend needed him but he promised to Michael and to himself that he would be away just for a few minutes while he said goodbye to the girl of his dreams but when he returned to the spot where he had left his friend he found out Michael was gone.
Living with his guilt, his feelings for Emily and keeping a secret of his best friend's memory, Ryan has a lot on his plate to deal with.

This book was given to me for review by the author herself and I would like to take this opportunity to thank her.

I enjoyed reading Loving Emily, it was an easy and quick read and the story deals not only with grief and loss but also alcohol and drug addiction. Sometimes parents don't realise what it happening to their kids until it is too late.
The story is told from Ryan's point of view. Ryan's character is very likable, different from most boys we read in YA, he is not that confident and experienced and that's what makes this story realistic. He has a good heart and good intentions but even jealousy gets the better of him sometimes and I liked that he knew he wasn't perfect, couldn't be perfect but he would try his best to get the girl.
Ryan is conflicted throughout the book, about his guilty, for what he feels for Emily, her expectations on him, his responsibility with Michael's secret but also with what he wants for himself.
We have some flashbacks to Ryan and Michael's past, their friendship, their stories together and how much Michael was important to Ryan. Ryan had this perception that he should act manly and never cry, but to be honest I would have liked to see Ryan crumble a little bit instead of trying to hold things together all the time.
There were passages that made me smile, angry and even emotional.
A lovely story with a loving title. (less)

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Oct 20, 2011 Reading, Eating & Dreaming rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-stars, 4-stars

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS AT READING, EATING AND DREAMING I WAS BLAIR WALDORF

**Loving Emily was given to me by the author for an honest review.**

Well, I must say that this novel surprised me. Loving Emily wasn’t your typical young adult romance. It was a realistic young adult novel that included a sweet romance, but it was also packed with relatable experiences and challenges that young adults face in today’s world. I went into this story expecting the romance between Ryan and Emily to be...more CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS AT READING, EATING AND DREAMING I WAS BLAIR WALDORF

**Loving Emily was given to me by the author for an honest review.**

Well, I must say that this novel surprised me. Loving Emily wasn’t your typical young adult romance. It was a realistic young adult novel that included a sweet romance, but it was also packed with relatable experiences and challenges that young adults face in today’s world. I went into this story expecting the romance between Ryan and Emily to be the novel’s focal point, but after reading this novel, I realize that this story highlights some issues that are even more important: the aftermath of a big loss, struggling with guilt, addictions, realizing and reaching your full potential, following your dreams, just getting by v. doing your best, taking what you are given v. working for something more, doing the right thing even when its hard and more.

Ryan’s struggles are significant and relatable. Death is a hard thing to cope with. Dealing with your best friends death is even harder. And blaming yourself for the death of your best friend must be the absolute hardest things to deal with. I can’t even imagine. Loving Emily was an inspiring novel, and young adults who suffer from their own guilt or grief can really take away from this novel.

The male point-of-view made this novel. I really loved Ryan’s character, his voice, and the way his mind worked. Ryan blames himself for his best friend’s death. Ryan doesn’t think he deserves to be happy or to have anything good in life because Michael isn’t able to have those things anymore. Ryan falls into a really hard spot when Emily, the girl that Ryan has had a crush on for years, starts to show interest in him. Ryan is torn considering how he feels about Emily:
“If girls were flames, most girls would be a single match, a mere Bic lighter. Emily, on the other hand, would be an inferno- a raging, thousand-acre forest fire.” – Excerpt from Loving Emily

The romance between the two main characters, Emily and Ryan, was sweet and unique. Their relationship felt very real to me. It wasn’t too much too fast; it progresses at a realistic pace. I think young adults will be able to identify with a lot of the challenges they face in their relationship.

I gave Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer 3 STARS (3.5 STARS). This was a really good read, and I highly recommend this book to young adults.

-XOXO

READING, EATING AND DREAMING (less)

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Dec 11, 2011 Angieleigh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bc11-12

At first I didn't think I was going to like this book as it seemed kind of crude. Also, I won't lie, Michael reminded me of my husband and how he was long ago. It hit home in one of those ways you don't see coming, but leave you panting for breath afterwards.

This is one of the most powerful YA books I've read since Th1rteen R3asons Why and If I Stay. I compare Loving Emily to those two based solely on the message of hope and love that hurts so much that I took away from all three books.

The only...more

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Nov 19, 2011 J.C. rated it 5 of 5 stars

I discovered Loving Emily when came across Anne’s website from reading a very helpful post on Absolute Write. The topic of the night was her book cover, which I thought was eye- catching, especially since it led me all the way to reading the excerpt from Loving Emily she had posted on her site.

I eagerly ate up the first chapter and was impressed that she was a breakout indie author. Within the first few moments of reading, her main character, Ryan, came off the page and immersed me in his very v...more

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Dec 24, 2011 Christina (Ensconced in YA) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I failed to win this book from Goodreads, so I decided to take a look at a few free chapters from Amazon. I was interested enough to give it a try.

By the middle of the book, I was impressed. At first, I wasn't sure about if I believed Ryan as a protagonist, but by the end, I was drawn in to his development, strength of character, and his overall journey from a typical 16 year old guy without direction to someone with goals and immense growth. I was moved. More than I could ever expect. I loved h...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-romance, my-fav, e-book

Loving Emily is written from a guy POV, which is quite amazing since this guy has a very beautiful heart.

Ryan's best friend, Michael died on car accident when he's stoned. Ryan felt guilty since he kind of ignored his best friend in need while he's chasing her crush, Emily. Emily is a sweet girl with all nice attitudes Ryan has only interested for.
When his relationship with Emily is getting better, he still felt not deserve all good things he got after what happened to Michael. Later, he found o...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Danica Page (One Page at a Time) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: asked-to-review, young-adult, romance, realistic-fiction, contemporary, death, self-discovery, coming-of-age, drugs, family-relations, family-issues, mainstream, relationships, self-published, out-in-2011, debut

I received this book for review from the author.

I went into this novel thinking that I would either hate it or love it. That it would either be fantastic or just an average read.

The premise of this novel had me intrigued from the very beginning and the cover looked good, so I went in not really knowing what to expect. I ended up really enjoying it. This book was powerful and really well-written. I loved the main character Ryan from the get-go. He isn't perfect by any means, but in my opinion he'...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Cortney Pearson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ryan is likable from the start--you cheer for him to finally have his shot with Emily, the girl of his dreams. The characters are very real, and the issues Ryan deals with (death, addiction, love) are all hard-core issues teens deal with today, including figuring out who they want to be and what they want to make of their lives. Ryan faces each of these issues and comes out a better person for it. Pfeffer's novel is all about choices, about looking at life through a different lense. Ryan's lense...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, own-finished-copy

To say I had low expectations for Loving Emily is an understatement - the melodramatic cover with the creepy guy in the back; the too-long description; everything about this book screams small publishing - you know, not enough editing, too many typos, etc. And while it's far from perfect, I ended up really, really enjoying Loving Emily!

Honestly, I think the cover, title, and description are kind of misleading. They make it seem like the main storyline is the romance between Ryan and Emily. But f...more To say I had low expectations for Loving Emily is an understatement - the melodramatic cover with the creepy guy in the back; the too-long description; everything about this book screams small publishing - you know, not enough editing, too many typos, etc. And while it's far from perfect, I ended up really, really enjoying Loving Emily!

Honestly, I think the cover, title, and description are kind of misleading. They make it seem like the main storyline is the romance between Ryan and Emily. But for me, that's not the most important part at all - it's a coming-of-age story, it's about family, it's about grief, and yes, it's about love. But I don't like how the title and cover let you believe it's just romance.

Ryan is a good character. He's easy to relate to and a really sweet guy. He's always trying to do the right thing, and you can't help but feel for him and want the best for him. There are a few scenes, though, where the male point-of-view is a little unrealistic, in my opinion. Yes, it's LA, so maybe it's different, but I still thought the descriptions of appearance were a little strange - I don't think it's realistic for a guy to notice what color shoes people are wearing. But then again, what do I know about being a guy?

The family's situation is a storyline I really enjoyed reading about. Ryan's dad is a famous director, so he and Ryan's mom are almost never home, and Ryan has two adorable younger sisters. I really liked reading about how the situation affected Ryan and how it developed throughout the novel.

I also liked the grief-storyline. Ryan and Michael's friendship is portrayed realistically and relatably, and Michael's grief is heart-felt and honest.

The romance is the only storyline I had a problem with - maybe it's because the romance is the storyline I enjoyed the least that I mind how the cover, title and description focus on that. Anyways, the romance is a little too insta-love for me, and I think it's unrealistic how quickly the two develop such strong feelings for one another. Emily's character fell flat for me, and I feel like the reader never really got to know her. Yes, she has some interests and character traits, but her portrayal is too superficial, in my opinion. Since I never really got her as a character, I had a hard time relating to Ryan's and her relationship.

I also don't get why, in the beginning, Ryan wants to keep himself from falling for Emily. He says abandoning Michael when needing him gave him bad karma, so he needs to do a lot of good to make up for that, which makes sense, but somehow, he thinks he can't be with Emily because it would mean getting even more bad karma. I'm no expert on karma, but... why would falling in love be bad karma?

My favorite storyline is one I can't talk about without spoiling the book - I really liked reading about Michael's secret, the "unfinished business." The storyline and the relationship that comes from this secret seemed a lot deeper and more realistic than Ryan's relationship with Emily, if I'm being honest.

But none of those storylines is what I liked best about Loving Emily - it's the coming-of-age and Ryan's character growth. I loved reading about how he grows as a person and figured out who he is.

I can't justify giving Loving Emily more than three stars because I did have some problems with it - it could have used some more editing and copyediting, the whole story is a little-drawn out, so it got boring in places (it's only 276 pages, but the font is really small compared to most YA books, so it's actually pretty long), and I didn't like the romance. But still, I really enjoyed Loving Emily, a lot more than I thought I would. A good protagonist and a nice cast of secondary characters and an interesting plot make this a great coming-of-age story. This is the kind of book that makes me happy to be a book-blogger - it's great to know I can promote a good book people probably haven't heard much about.

Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...(less)

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Feb 26, 2012 Rachmi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook

When I chose to read Loving Emily after Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers, I don't know what kind of story it is. To my surprise it have similarity but different POV. I don't read a lot YA books from male POV, books that whole story based on male POV not just half story like Simone Elkeles' or Tammara Webber's story. So, I'm always excited to read that kind of book.

Loving Emily have every things that YA book should have. It's well written, have good story, good characters and there's somethin...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Mer rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was different for me in the fact that I haven't had a chance to read too many books where the guy is telling the story. This book is about Ryan and how he falls in love with Emily, yet feels he doesn't deserve her because of what happened to his best friend. Ryan believes in karma, and so this story is about him trying to even out his karma and how those actions affect his relationship with Emily. I did think that this story did a great job giving you the guy's point of view, and Ryan...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Lacey Weatherford rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book really captured the angst and heartache of a young man who finds himself feeling guilty over the loss of his best friend and the unexpected circumstances he's left behind.
The author gives a believable voice in the male POV, which was nice and allows the reader to feel the turmoil in Ryan's heart as he is forced to choose between the things he wants for himself and what he believes he should be doing.
There were times I found myself crying for the characters in this book, as many of the...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Suzanne Merriman rated it 5 of 5 stars

The meat of fictional impulsion: love, mistaken judgment, guilt, forgiveness, life's many complications and explorations of self and others. All of these make Pfeffer's book worth reading; worth laughing with and crying over. The characters and their stories are moving to the point of memorable. Clearly and compelling written, this book will keep you reading at night. Rarely would I pick up, no less read, a book that could be called "coming of age," at least not at my age. But this book has a ra...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books, done-done

Loving emily
So first off i won this book in a giveaway!! Which was awesome in the first place!

I loved loved this book!!!

Wow oh wow
The book started out about ryan going to the most beautiful girls party(emily). So ryan gets to the party. And finds his best friend Michael there. Who is waiting for his friend so they could go to the parking lot and get drunk/high. Ryan was going to go with him but emily walks up to him. So he tells micheal never mind. And he talks with emily. Michael and his friend...more Loving emily
So first off i won this book in a giveaway!! Which was awesome in the first place!

I loved loved this book!!!

Wow oh wow
The book started out about ryan going to the most beautiful girls party(emily). So ryan gets to the party. And finds his best friend Michael there. Who is waiting for his friend so they could go to the parking lot and get drunk/high. Ryan was going to go with him but emily walks up to him. So he tells micheal never mind. And he talks with emily. Michael and his friend come back really drunk and crash the party. Ryan takes Michael and says to emily ill be right back. So he carries Michael to a hallway and Michael tells ryan that something bad has happened but Michael never told ryan because ryan wanted to go back and tell emily bye. So ryan goes. And comes back to find Michael gone. Ryan gets in his car and goes to see if there any car accidents but ryan doesn't see anything. So he goes home and goes to sleep. The next morning he finds out michael died in a car accident. Ryan gets really sad over this. But emily brings him out of his funk when he sees her. But everything reminds ryan or michael. And what they use to do. But ryan finds out what happened that was so bad that michael kept talking about. Michael had gotten a girl pregnant. And he was scared for his life about it. Ryan finds the girl and helps her with the pregnancy. But along the way emily his now current girlfriend gets really jealous about it but ryan says nothing happening.

In the end of the book ryan gets dumped by emily( who i think is a bitch) :D pardon my french!! Because she just couldnt take the intensity of there relationship. But the baby was named after michael his father and the mom finally got to meet Michael's parents and after she had the baby they let her stay in the guest house(which i thought was nice)

The whole book was amazing!!! I loved ryan i never have read a book about a very strong male character its always female!! But i loved a man perspective for once.(less)

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Jan 30, 2012 Heather from NightlyReading rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was not sure what to expect from this book, but was pleasantly surprised.

Ryan is just trying to be the best friend that he could be, but when his best friend, Michael dies, his world spirals out of control. He feels that it is all his fault and since Michael is dead, he does not deserve to be happy. Ryan has loved Emily from a distance for a very long time and now he has his chance, but is afraid to actually take it.

I enjoyed Ryan as a character. He was sweet and loving especially to Emily. Em...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Ryan Winfield rated it 5 of 5 stars

I stumbled on this new author via a mutual twitter connection and decided to give her novel a go. I’m glad I did. Pfeffer’s first person narrative transports the reader inside the mind of a teenage boy coming of age in the golden glow of a privileged Los Angeles suburb, a setting as foreign to my childhood as Mars. Yet somehow I identified with Ryan, her protagonist, and found myself fighting alongside him, feeling his pain, and celebrating his victories.

With more dramatic reversals than an edge...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Karrie James rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: free-downloads

Was not sure what to expect from this, downloaded for free.

Didn't realise it was YA book until reading other reviews that I read before starting.

I like the concept of the story about a guy called Ryan who's best friend died, feeling awful that on the night that his friend needed him he was more interested in chatting to Emily.

On the night that Ryan left Michael, michael was trying to tell him that he was in trouble. But Ryan did not get a chance to find out from him what with.

With trying to fin...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Avry15 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: family, inspirational, romance, young-adult, reviewed

originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions

I agree with another reviewer that the cover, title, and description are actually misleading. This book isn’t just about “Loving Emily”, it’s about coming to an age, loss, family, grief, guilt, and love. This book was so much more, and a truly inspiring and thought-provoking read.

Ms. Pfeffers created a main protagonist out of a boy’s perspectives- Ryan so perfectly. I can’t help but fall in love with him. His sweet, nice, and would try to do the right...more originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions

I agree with another reviewer that the cover, title, and description are actually misleading. This book isn’t just about “Loving Emily”, it’s about coming to an age, loss, family, grief, guilt, and love. This book was so much more, and a truly inspiring and thought-provoking read.

Ms. Pfeffers created a main protagonist out of a boy’s perspectives- Ryan so perfectly. I can’t help but fall in love with him. His sweet, nice, and would try to do the right thing. A good protagonist and a nice cast of secondary characters, an interesting plot and easy-to-relate-to conflicts makes this book a must-read. His character was so strong, I can’t help but wish a guy like this exist..:)

The family conflict which was apparent in this book, is a situation many could relate to, Ryan’s parents are always almost never home, leaving him and his younger siblings with Rosetta (their housekeeper). It was perfectly pictured how this kind of home affected Ryan so much, where parents unintentionally ignores their children.

The friendship between Ryan and Michael is realistic. I sometimes look forward to Ryan’s musings about their past adventures. Ryan’s grief for the loss is genuine, and I felt for him deeply. It was also so good of Ryan to try to settle Michael’s unfinished business, which I think became the very foundation of this book.

Even though Emily got the title of the book, I don’t think I really like her. She was not portrayed as super perfect, which is good, but she is not that nice too. Also, I think the development of the romance was instantaneous. I know Ryan has his eyes set for this girl long before the accident, but their actual interactions was just that party, and it was just a couple of minutes, and then the next thing I knew, they were a couple. ,I’m a little too harsh here, maybe I was just jealous of Emily..lol… Ryan likes and respects her a lot… But honestly, the author should have credit for this, since if Emily’s character is different, I don’t think this story would work out. Emily is an additional conflict to Ryan’s struggles. And besides, selfish she maybe, but any sane girl would not want her boyfriend to be always around with other girls, love interest or not.

All in all, Loving Emily give me an emotional roller-coaster ride. It was truly a bitter-sweet story. BEAUTIFUL and SAD.

Loving Emily- a great young adult story of growth in matters of family, grief, guilt, love and a person as a whole. Highly recommended to all, especially to teens!

♥♥~♥♥♥ ♥:)♥♥~♥ ♥♥

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Apr 03, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own, kindle, read-in-2012

Although Loving Emily does focus heavily on a serious topic, this is a cute book in a lot of ways. When we first meet Ryan he is trying to deal with a long-time crush on Emily, and the devastating habits of his friend Michael. I immediately felt bad for Ryan because he was faced with the decision to let Michael's actions alter his plan to talk to Emily. The consequences of his choice will haunt him and be something he can't seem to get over.

Michael's death hits Ryan hard, obviously. He can't sh...more Although Loving Emily does focus heavily on a serious topic, this is a cute book in a lot of ways. When we first meet Ryan he is trying to deal with a long-time crush on Emily, and the devastating habits of his friend Michael. I immediately felt bad for Ryan because he was faced with the decision to let Michael's actions alter his plan to talk to Emily. The consequences of his choice will haunt him and be something he can't seem to get over.

Michael's death hits Ryan hard, obviously. He can't shake the feeling that he shouldn't have walked away. It doesn't help that Michael seemed to have something he wanted to share with Ryan. For a while Ryan seems to just float from day to day. He spends time with Emily but holds back from really telling her how he feels. Ryan's relationship with Emily was sweet and romantic. It wasn't all "hot and heavy" from the beginning like some stories. They really seemed to slowly build upon their connection with each other.

Loving Emily doesn't just give us a sweet romance between 2 characters, we really get a good idea of Ryan's life. He has a life that may seem perfect from the outside but he doesn't have the best relationship with his parents, especially his mother. Even though Michael dies early in the story, Ryan shows us how their friendship developed and it was easy to see why Ryan thought so highly of his friend. This was what really seemed cute to me. His accounts of the childhood events he shared with Michael really helped me see how they were just two little boys trying to figure out life.

I won't give away what the secret is but it really puts a whole new spin on this story. At the same time, it made me dislike Emily in a lot of ways. She didn't seem to really grasp what Ryan was going through or why he was so focused on his "task". I thought her actions, while mostly realistic for a teenage girl, made her just seem selfish and uncaring. I'm a hopeless romantic but there were times where I thought that maybe she wasn't even needed in order to have a super strong story. Maybe it should have just been Ryan's journey to make peace with himself.

On the plus side, I adored Ryan's point-of-view and I honestly didn't want to put the book down. I felt very invested in the story and finding out what Ryan would do in his situation. It was gripping, heartbreaking, and realistic.

Loving Emily is honestly a beautiful story. It's so much more than a romance and, even though it deals with a serious topic, it wasn't dark and depressing. A very enjoyable read.

Recommended: People wanting a realistic teen read dealing with death. (less)

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Jan 08, 2012 Katelyn (Tales of Books and Bands) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, signed, read-in-2012, review-books, 5-stars

This book was so amazingly fantastic that I am still working on picking my jaw up off the floor. I have tried time and time again to come up with the perfect words to describe what I am feeling and all I can say that this story is bitter-sweet in the best way possible. It was a beautiful, sad story. It was also a complex, happy story. It definitely made me cry, but it sure as heck made me laugh too. It left me feeling happy and completely in love with Ryan but also a bit sad that some of it all...more This book was so amazingly fantastic that I am still working on picking my jaw up off the floor. I have tried time and time again to come up with the perfect words to describe what I am feeling and all I can say that this story is bitter-sweet in the best way possible. It was a beautiful, sad story. It was also a complex, happy story. It definitely made me cry, but it sure as heck made me laugh too. It left me feeling happy and completely in love with Ryan but also a bit sad that some of it all wasn’t just a bad dream. Really, if you ask me, any book that pushes you through so many emotions in such a short amount of time is bound to be a good one. I knew from the very first moment I was entered into Ryan’s world, I would love everything about it. Every character was so well-rounded and complex, that Anne could have easily written the story from any of their perspectives. We learn so much about so many people that you come to love and adore them by the time the story is over. The events flowed with perfect timing and it was just an all-around entertaining, tear-jerker of a story.

Ryan is your average 16-year-old guy with a very non-average life. He has his sights set on Emily, a girl he has been in love with for over a year. Ryan also has a best friend, Michael who is a bit of a mess but is ALWAYS there for Ryan. And then there’s Ryan’s family, an uber famous director for a father, twin sisters that keep him on his toes, a barely there mom, and Rosario, the house keeper that has practically raised them. Their family is unconventional to say the least and Ryan doesn’t necessarily like it like that.

Ryan’s life is complicated and there are things he would love to change about it, but for the most part it’s going good especially when he just may have a chance with Emily. This is when disaster strikes. Ryan loses his best friend and convinces himself it is his entire fault. Things progress with Emily but there is still this guilt lingering over Ryan that holds him back. Then an unexpected person, Chrissie, becomes one of the most important things to him because she just may be carrying Michael’s baby. So of course if you enter another girl into the picture, the new girlfriend would obviously get jealous. Jealous girlfriends, complicated situations, more responsibility than anyone should have to handle, plus a debt that Ryan thinks he must pay off to earn his good Karma back. Yeah, and you thought it sounded like a sticky situation before?

Anne created a character you will love, I mean totally and completely love. I am the older sister to three boys so I am fairly certain I know how they act and I can guess what they are thinking. For someone who has no sons, Anne wrote the male character perfectly. Ryan’s voice was so strong throughout the story. It was like getting inside the head of a real-life teenage boy. He is a genuine guy; he is kind and is always trying to do the right thing no matter how screwed up his life gets in the end. He has so much potential to be something great and wonderful, you just spend the whole book wondering when he will realize it too. The love he has over his sisters, Ro, Michael, Emily, Chrissie, and even the baby just astounded me. He has the best of intentions but things just never seemed to work out for him. My heart truly went out to Ryan because of this. I wanted to take away the guilt over Michael’s death, I wanted things to just work out with Emily, I wanted to be there to comfort him as he felt like a zamboni was driving over his chest. He seemed real to me, he acted just like a 16 year-old boy would and I can’t say I’ve seen one done better than Ryan. Anne truly did such an amazing job with this character.

Okay, now that you see how much I can gush about just one character, just imagine what I can say about every other character! Some of them may not have been my favorite but they seemed real and alive to me so that’s enough reason to at least mention them!

Michael is one character you really get to know which sounds odd because he is the only one who is technically not there. I think I would have loved Michael regardless of his screwed up life. He was confident and easy-going. He loosened Ryan up and let his own confidence rub off on him. I think he made Ryan a stronger person whether he knew it or not. Anne put so much of Michael into this story that I eventually began to miss him even though I never even knew him. I just felt like I did. He was a great person with a troubled life. I can see why Ryan was so crushed by his death not only because Michael was his best friend, but because Michael was a truly great friend to lose.

Emily is another character you learn a lot about. I must say, I didn’t like her as much as I loved the other characters but I am kind of thinking that is the way it is supposed to be. She is sweet, super smart, and really good for Ryan. She helps pick up the broken pieces of him after Michael’s death so naturally I love her for that. But where Michael is strong, selfless, and responsible, Emily is selfish, jealous, and thinks of her own feelings more than Ryan’s. Ryan tries so hard to be there for everyone so when he spends a little less time with Emily, she throws a fit about it. At first I got really irritated but then I really thought about it. It’s not that she is spoiled and snobby, she is just a normal teenage girl and normal teenage girls want their boyfriend close by all the time; Emily is no different at all! The thought of another girl around, romantic relationship or not, is just too much for her handle sometimes and she really doesn’t feel comfortable with the whole Chrissie situatiopn. So there were moments where I really didn’t like Emily but I could still see why she appealed to Ryan so much. If her character were any different the story just wouldn’t work.

As for Ryan’s family, they were all incredible, maybe a bit screwed up, but still incredible. Every family is dysfunctional and Ryan’s is no different. I hated how distant and cold his parents were at first but the more you got to know about them, the more you can understand and sympathize. Yeah, what they did by ignoring their kids was never right, but just getting their side of the story surely helped my love for them in the end. Ryan’s sisters were so adorable! They looked up to their big brother so much it just made my heart melt. Any younger sibling can sometimes be a nuisance but Ryan always made time for his little sisters. Oh and we can’t forget about Ro, she is so amazing! She takes care of Ryan and his sisters as if they were her own. She is strict with them but I think that is what makes them all such great kids regardless of their flashy lifestyle.

I adored Chrissie throughout the whole book! She is a free spirit, someone who doesn’t let the bad times get her down, and when it comes down to it, she is the exact type of friend that Ryan needs. Chrissie is maybe a little too flippant for my own personal liking but it suits her character. She truly believes that things will turn out okay in the end and in her case they somehow do. I wouldn’t force her situation onto anyone (being pregnant at a young age, with the baby of the father dead) but she handles it with grace and ease, and of course the help of Ryan. She is like a bright ray of sunshine in this whole story. Ryan suffers a lot, and some of it is because of the situation that Chrissie and Michael have gotten him in, but she makes these tough times bearable for him.

I know that this review is all over the place but I am just hoping you guys can trust me on this one. You will LOVE this story. It was so great from start to finish. Every character was so well written whether I loved their personalities or not. And it has a beautiful message behind it! That is like a triple whammy in YA contemporary fiction! You will go through a slew of emotions while reading Loving Emily, it has some hysterical highs and depressing lows, but it makes the book that much better. I really couldn’t have picked a better book to start 2012 off with.(less)

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Jan 15, 2013 Lizzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

No exactamente el libro que esperaba, y el final mmm no un happily ever after pero si me gustó ver a un nuevo Ryan más maduro y seguro de si mismo. No dependiendo de Emily, Michael, el bebé, o sus padres para tomar decisiones y sobre todo que decide luchar por lo que quiere y lo que lo hace feliz, entendiendo que no siempre querer a alguien implica estar las 24/7 pegado a esa persona y sentir que la necesitas para poder vivir.

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Jan 02, 2012 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: lovers of Thirteen Reasons Why

Shelves: first-reads

I couldn't even imagine going through what Ryan does.
This was one of the only times I empathized and connected with a male character.
I even shed some tears, and I honestly was rooting for Ryan the entire time.
Though, Emily was not my favorite character (maybe because I actually liked the fictional guy?).
It's one of those books that I think teens should read.
The emotions were raw.
The problems were real.
And everyone was relatable; no one was perfect.

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Apr 11, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was touched by this book more than I had expected to be. Ryan's angst in the loss of his best friend is very real, even if his character's high societal status and financial situation is not as familiar to the reader. It was nice to read a poignant story from a male point of view.

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Jan 04, 2012 Alicia284 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic Book! Loved the POV, and every charater. The story had me crying. It had me staying up really late reading. I mean really late sleeping only 5 hours in two days because the book would not let put in down. There is not one thing I would change about this book.

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Apr 16, 2012 Mandy_grimm rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: drama, love

i had high expectations and they were not met :(
i still have to say, if i read this book a year ago, i would probably give it a 4, but i read so many books that made me cry and laugh and feel, and this book just help to pass the time.

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May 03, 2012 Mari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Nice story but the I found the writing detached and unemotional. The first part of the book which was supposed to be tragic and heartbreaking just came off as something we needed to get past in order to move on with the story.

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topics	posts	views	last activity
SPOILER QUESTION re sex in Loving Emily	2	13	Feb 03, 2012 12:18pm
What do you think of Emily as a character? FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE READ THE BOOK	2	13	Feb 03, 2012 12:04pm
Should I change Loving Emily's title?	3	14	Feb 03, 2012 11:53am

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