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Emmy & Oliver

Robin Benway (Goodreads Author)

3.91 · Rating details · 18,276 ratings · 2,693 reviews

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 ...more

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Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Published June 23rd 2015 by HarperTeen

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My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

2015 Contemporary YA

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YA Novels of 2015

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3.91 ·

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· 18,276 ratings · 2,693 reviews

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May 09, 2015 Emily May rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015, contemporary, young-adult, arc

“Well, that’s growing up, isn’t it?” my dad said. “You don’t always have to know. And things aren’t always fair. You just have to keep moving forward. A step in one direction.”

Yet another book that has me wondering just what is going on in the book marketing/design world. With a title like Emmy & Oliver and the heart-shaped finger prints on the cover, pretty much everyone will pick this book up thinking they know exactly what they're going to get - a cute romance.

In reality, this book is ...more

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Aug 12, 2015 Lola rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, lgbt, family

This is the type of story that could certainly have beneficed of a dual point of view. Oliver is a main protagonist and at times it felt like everything revolved around him, so I’m really perplexed. Why did the author not decide to let him narrate from time to time, so we could scrutinize his indiscernible thoughts? He just feels so… elusive.

Emmy is a cute heroine. I say cute because she’s not original, or unique, or that interesting. She’s just nice and lovely and cute. It’s enjoyable to have ...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, 2015-publication, june, harpercollins, own-dtb-tbr, read-2015, to-review, 2015-favorites, realistic-fiction

Awwwww. I love absolutely everybody in this book. <3

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Feb 03, 2013 Aimee ♥ | Aimee, Always rated it it was amazing

Shelves: swoony-book-boys, arc, did-not-see-that-coming, i-am-not-pleased-with-that-cliffie, favorites, grinning-like-an-idiot, i-cried, oh-the-fluff, predictable, i-think-my-heart-stopped

Have you been looking for a non-dramatic (but yes, I did shed some tears--emotional teenage girl right here) YA contemporary that'll make your face hurt from too much smiling? If you: a) nodded your head, b) screamed FUCK YES, c) gasped or d) did all of the above, then Emmy & Oliver is going to be your next favorite read!

To be honest with you, I initially thought that this book was going to be full of drama llamas and "lyrical" writing (y'all know I hate those), and I've never been happier t ...more

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Sep 08, 2018 jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

‘he looked like a stranger, and then he met my glance, and it was like i had never stopped seeing him.’

oh, be still my heart! i swear this book was written specifically for me. it was as if robin benway had asked herself, ‘what would be jessicas ideal story? because im going to write it.’ and then she did! lucky me!

i really dont know what to say, but i honestly could have read 300 more pages of this. there was just so much that i wanted more of. i thought the story itself was concluded nicely, ...more

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Jan 22, 2016 Christy rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-audios, 2016-ya-challenge

4 stars!

photo 06A092FB-0BEB-4F5C-AFBA-50944D59AE86_zpssdhoxef2.jpg

“Sometimes love isn't something you say, it's something you do.”
Emmy & Oliver is a book I picked up because I loved the simplicity and beauty of the cover. I bought the audio before I even read the blurb, but I’m glad I did. I really enjoyed this one. YA book #15 for me this year! Only 10 more to go before I hit my personal challenge!

Emmy & Oliver’s lives were both drastically changed when Oliver was kidnapped by his father as a child. Oliver was taken away from his mother ...more

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Sep 18, 2016 Aj the Ravenous Reader rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Aj the Ravenous Reader by: Tanya (Girl Plus Books)

Shelves: contemporary, lol, love-love-love, physically-owned-books, young-adult

"Well, that’s growing up, isn’t it? You don’t always have to know. And things aren’t always fair. You just have to keep moving forward. A step in one direction.”

My eyes are still a bit moist from tears of both pain and joy after reading the last few chapters of the book. And Wow! Just…I totally didn’t expect to experience a whirl of emotions over this book. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t a heavy, dramatic read. In fact, even though there ARE heavy and serious themes, the author managed to magi "Well, that’s growing up, isn’t it? You don’t always have to know. And things aren’t always fair. You just have to keep moving forward. A step in one direction.”

My eyes are still a bit moist from tears of both pain and joy after reading the last few chapters of the book. And Wow! Just…I totally didn’t expect to experience a whirl of emotions over this book. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t a heavy, dramatic read. In fact, even though there ARE heavy and serious themes, the author managed to magically approach the entire story in such a lighthearted manner. It’s seriously impressive!

And yet for me, it was still an emotion filled story which I was completely clueless about because check out that title, it’s just Emily & Oliver. What complicated emotion could possibly emanate from it?! Guess I’m wrong (as usual) because although the book does have romance, it isn’t really a romantic teen-flick as one might innocently deduce from the title, not at all.

It’s about so many truthful, relatable things like realistic depictions of growing up, of losing someone you love, the feeling of alienation versus belongingness, the necessity of friendship in all stages of a person’s life and the process by which the smallest but most complex unit operates-I’m referring to family.

It all felt so real and I was fully connected to the entire story and every single one of the character who are all completely fleshed out and very relatable. I also loved how Ms. Robin Benway put so much effort in making her writing not only appealing, current, very funny too, but also highly sensitive to various kinds of readers and I wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone.

So yeah, onto stalking Ms. Benway’s profile now to check other books she’s already written because I’m an instant fan. ;)

To one of the most wonderful people around Goodreads, someone I really look up to and someone who always inspires and motivates me, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Dearest Ate Tanya! May your special day bring you only the best memories! <3 <3<3
...more

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Jan 03, 2019 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: hardback, favorites, own, young-adult

This book was sooo good and funny and sweet and sad and I LOVED IT!

Happy Reading!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

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Dec 30, 2014 Melanie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own, e-arc, young-adult, writing-envy, romance, omg-the-cover-people, not-bad-at-all, i-cried, i-could-eat-this, grinned-like-a-fool

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

4.5 stars

I'd firstly like to point out that Emmy & Oliver is a really misleading title. While the title screams a romance-dominated story, I would say it's anything but that. Sure, there is a hella adorable romance... but at it's core, Benway's story is one about friendship, growing up, making your own path in life, and more importantly, family.

"Sometimes love isn't something you say, it's something you do."

At it's surface, this book is about Oliver who ...more

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Nov 21, 2016 emma rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, owned, recommend, funny, diverse, reviewed, 4-stars, ya

I’ve wanted to read this book for a long time. I used to obsessively add contemporaries to my TBR, and for whatever reason, this one stuck even when I removed most of them. And I’m glad it did.

It was, socially, on point. Characters were against slut-shaming and the “not like other girls” trope, as I enthusiastically noted about an hour and a half ago. There were themes of acceptance and homosexuality and gender. It was sick.

The characters themselves were pretty great. Emmy was actually funny som ...more

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Nov 09, 2017 Heather rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-contemporary

4.5

LOVED this book!!!

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Jun 24, 2015 Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ rated it really liked it

Recommended to Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ by: Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤

Shelves: young-adult, 2015-read, contemporary, romance-i-root-for

All in all, here's an heartfelt story about family, friendship and what it means to belong somewhere, to grow up, without never hiding the hard truths and sore trials real life holds.

What is it that creates a family? A friendship? Are labels enough? Does calling someone a friend makes one?

"I looked up at my dad. "Tonight, when Oliver and I were talking, I said I'd still love you, even if you kidnapped me. I really would. I get how he feels."
My dad smiled. "That's the nicest and most sociopathi

...more

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Mar 12, 2015 Faye, la Patata rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, tragedy, good-hero, good-heroine, haunting-narration, heartwrenching, stand-alone, family, friendship, complex-hero-heroine

If I could describe this book in one word, it would be quiet.

Yes, Emmy & Oliver is something that I would call a "quiet contemporary". I'm not even sure where that came from, or if it's a thing, or something I made up on a whim, but I know deep inside that this is the best word for it. I try to think of another description, but there is nothing that fits as this. Emmy & Oliver is meaningful, thoughtful, and like I said, quiet.

How is it so, you ask? I've read a number of contemporaries If I could describe this book in one word, it would be quiet.

Yes, Emmy & Oliver is something that I would call a "quiet contemporary". I'm not even sure where that came from, or if it's a thing, or something I made up on a whim, but I know deep inside that this is the best word for it. I try to think of another description, but there is nothing that fits as this. Emmy & Oliver is meaningful, thoughtful, and like I said, quiet.

How is it so, you ask? I've read a number of contemporaries over the years, many of them involving issues and concepts teenagers face during their youth, experiences that mirror our own and lessons that are valuable to us, too. But while that is so, there are times when it feels like the situation those characters are in are something that I don't really see myself getting into; as if it feels like there is still a sense of detachment somehow.

But Emmy & Oliver is different, in a sense, and I don't even know how to say why. There is something so down-to-earth with the way it is written. There is no unnecessary or explosive or superficial drama among the characters. There is a "peaceful" atmosphere going on despite the big elephant of sadness in the room. In this book, characters go to school, go back home, do what teenagers do, eat what teenagers eat, fret over college applications - things that are 100% real to us - and it doesn't feel tedious at all. There is even an endearing quality to it, a realness that you know is genuine. It feels eerily human-like in a way that this you see this happening to yourself, or to your next-door neighbor, or to your friend down the street.

I guess, in short, it is not pretentious at all. There are no characters who spout deep and complex sentences in an attempt to swoon the MC or the reader. It's genuine to the very bone, especially the dialogue. I even think the dialogue is the best part of this story, because the way they talk to each other and the things they say and the things they do are so, so, so real. This is why I say it is quiet, because most of the time, our lives are quiet, too (unless you're a big hot shot in loud field like Hollywood, I guess!), and it really captured that ambiance and atmosphere in the setting, in the writing, in the characters, and in the dialogue.

TL;DR: it's one of the most natural contemporaries I've ever read. Read it to believe it, folks. ...more

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Mar 21, 2015 Aly's Bookish Wonderland rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, edelweiss, young-adult, contemporary

We stayed and looked and waited for him to come back, as if our love was a beacon that he could use to light his way home, to crawl up the sides of the earth and back through his front door, his tag still sticking up in the back.

Emmy & Oliver exceeded all expectations. Although it may seem like this is a romance, the truth is it’s actually about friendship, family, growing up and rekindling that long-lost relationship that was horribly ripped away by one selfish man.

When Oliver was seven ...more

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Oct 30, 2014 Anatea Oroz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, love-the-cover, favorites, romance, young-adult

This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf.

I really had no idea what book I was going to read next, and then Shannon from It Starts at Midnight suggested I read Emmy & Oliver next because she liked it a lot. So I did. I mean I had an arc copy and everything, so why not just read it now? It is also coming out, like tomorrow. So I did, read it.

Emmy and Oliver have been friends from the day they were born - yes, they even share a birthday. Until one day Oliver was picked up fr This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf.

I really had no idea what book I was going to read next, and then Shannon from It Starts at Midnight suggested I read Emmy & Oliver next because she liked it a lot. So I did. I mean I had an arc copy and everything, so why not just read it now? It is also coming out, like tomorrow. So I did, read it.

Emmy and Oliver have been friends from the day they were born - yes, they even share a birthday. Until one day Oliver was picked up from school by his dad, only to never come back. He was missing for 10 years. While everyone around Emmy was adjusting to Oliver being gone, nobody thought about the adjusting that will be necessary once Oliver returned home. Now that he's back, nothing is normal again, the question is will Emmy and Oliver be able to pick up from where they left?

I expected this book to be a little heavier considering the subject it's dealing with, so I was really surprised to find out I liked this approach much better. It captured all the feels, all the wrongness, the pity, the doubt and so much more, all that while having a lighter approach to the subject. It showed us perfectly how every side dealt with the kidnapping and its aftermaths. From Oliver's mother to Emmy, her parents and friends, and Oliver.

Oliver being abducted by his father at the age of 7 did not only affect his family but Emmy's too. It's every parent's worst nightmare having their child kidnapped and having it happen to someone you know may change the way you feel about things drastically. Emmy's parents went into overprotective mode. They pretty much controlled every single aspect of her life, to the point she had to lie to them about surfing - because it was too dangerous - and numerous other little things.

Since the book is told from Emmy's point of view, we only get to find out things about Oliver through her and their interactions. But it does nothing to make it easier for us. We still feel deeply for him. Being kidnapped by his dad at a young age and thinking all of those 10 years that his mother actually abandoned him and then finding out the truth, can't be easy for anyone. On the one hand, you have your mother who has always cared for you and wanted you back, on the other hand, there's you dad who pretty much raised you and also cared for you. It's this dilemma that makes it so real.

If you decide to pick Emmy & Oliver up, I can assure you that you will most likely enjoy this book and you'll be wanting more.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest ...more

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Jul 26, 2016 may ❀ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 300-pgs, contemporary, hilarious, perfection, super-cute, binged, i-am-trash, i-will-go-down-with-this-ship, standalones, my-heart

Happiness comes in all shapes and sizes, but for me, it’s this book.

description

This BBBOOOOOOOOKKKKKK !!!!

Goodness, I’m so trash for Emmy & Oliver that it should be embarrassing but like “fav book > dignity” always.

So despite the cheesy-yet-adorable looking cover, this is not just another cheesy o’l love story, let me tell you, no, no, it’s a touching coming-of-age story that is fused with beautiful friendships, acceptance, and chasing your dreams.

Literally wiping away my tears because I ...more

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May 10, 2015 Tabetha rated it liked it

Rating: 3.5 Review: "The more you start to love someone, the more you ache when they're gone, and maybe it's the middle ground that hurts the most, when you can see them and still not feel like you're near enough."

I appreciated that this had more depth and did not focus solely on the romance between Emmy and Oliver. They both had to deal with the aftermath of Oliver returning home after being kidnapped by his father for so many years. Of course the adjustment was so much more difficult for Oli ...more

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May 26, 2015 C.G. Drews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-star, contemporary, read-2015, young-adult

This is totally one of my NEW FAVOURITE contemporaries of ever. I laughed so much! OUT LOUD. I was just cackling like an insane watermelon while I read this and...I couldn't put it down. I read WAY PAST MY BEDTIME. I'm such a little evil rebel. So honestly? For someone who is very dubious and skeptical about contemporaries and yet fell in love with this so so much?! IT IS VERY GOOD AND GO READ IT NOW. THE END.

Haha, I'm just kidding. Do you seriously think that's all I have to say? *collects 2403 ...more

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Nov 25, 2017 Kelly (and the Book Boar) rated it really liked it

Shelves: becoming-groweds-up, daddy-issues, liburrrrrry-book, read-in-2017, saccharine-sweet, teenie-bopper-books

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

If you only pay attention to this part of the synopsis before beginning Emmy & Oliver . . . .

“Oliver disappeared after school on a Friday afternoon, way back when we were in second grade.”

There’s a very good chance you might end up with this sort of reaction to this story . . . .

Please note that this is VERY MUCH a “kissing book” and an extremely sweet one at that. If you (or your teen) is looking for a new twist when it comes ...more

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Sep 22, 2015 Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ by: Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘

Shelves: awesome-heroines, buddy-read, could-read-over-and-over-again, don-t-be-fooled-by-the-cover, favorites, my-favorite-covers, pea-favorites, just-me-and-the-pea, tearjerkers, unforgettable-male-leads

I guess the more you start to love someone, the more you ache when they're gone, and maybe it's that middle ground that hurts the most, when you can see them and still not feel like you're near enough. So close and yet so far.

Absolutely too cute for words. Deep, heartfelt, unforgettable.

Sometimes I could slap myself for being so shortsighted. And, just to warn you, I'll probably even say that on tomorrow's review....I just have this mental block that prevents me from taking a risk, taking c ...more

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May 31, 2015 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015-new-years-resolutions-challeng, contemporary, may-page-count, mystery, netgalley-edelweiss, read-2015, read-with-abbie, romance, young-adult, r2r-complete

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“Coming home is like being kidnapped all over again,”

This was a YA contemporary romance, featuring a boy who came back after being kidnapped 10 years earlier.

Emmy was a cute character, and she really went out of her way to be nice to Oliver, and to make him feel welcome when other people at their school treated him like an outcast.

“He’s sitting by himself!” I hissed. “Loo ...more

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May 23, 2018 Karla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4 stars!

I’ve actually been wanting to read this book for a while, but for whatever reason I always thought, not yet! But I’m glad I finally found the the right time to read it.

When I started reading “Emmy & Oliver” I thought the beginning was slow because I had put in my head that the focus was gonna be Emmy/Oliver but it was so much more than the two of them. The ripple effect Oliver’s kidnapping by his father had affected not only his family but Emmy and the relationship with her parents ...more

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Dec 25, 2014 Keertana rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads, swoooon, kick-ass-heroines

Emmy & Oliver is the type of best friend romance I would normally be clamoring head-over-heels for...only, it's a liiitle more complex than that. Emmy and Oliver are not only neighbors, they're best friends. They've grown up alongside one another and for the first seven years of their life, they have shared everything, including their birthdays. When Oliver's father arrives to pick him up after school one Friday afternoon, no one thinks much of it. After all, Oliver spends every weekend with Emmy & Oliver is the type of best friend romance I would normally be clamoring head-over-heels for...only, it's a liiitle more complex than that. Emmy and Oliver are not only neighbors, they're best friends. They've grown up alongside one another and for the first seven years of their life, they have shared everything, including their birthdays. When Oliver's father arrives to pick him up after school one Friday afternoon, no one thinks much of it. After all, Oliver spends every weekend with his father. When he doesn't come back to school on Monday, however, that's when Emmy starts worrying. When he doesn't come back for ten years, it's a tragedy.

At seven, Oliver is kidnapped by his father and, at seventeen, he is found in an apartment in New York City. To Oliver, his life has been a series of adventures; him and his father against the world. Oliver was led to believe that his mother abandoned him and, grief-stricken and confused, he never attempted to contact her. A curious Google search a decade later reveals that his mother has been searching for Oliver all her life. Oliver's absence has not only fractured his life, it has torn up the lives of their entire community. Emmy's parents, once carefree, have been strict, curfew-abiding jailers for much of Emmy's life. Their fear following Oliver's kidnapping has haunted Emmy her entire life and now, at seventeen, all Emmy wants is to surf and attend UCSD--dreams that will never be fulfilled as her parents have already planned that she will commute to college from home and instead of enroll her in dangerous sports like surfing, the most they have allowed her to do is have a car.

When Oliver returns, Emmy doesn't know what to think. She and Oliver were best friends ten years ago but can they still be best friends now? Is Oliver even the same person? Although Oliver hasn't been maltreated by his father, Emmy cannot even begin to understand his life or emotional state. She, living in the same home and growing up with the same friends, Caroline and Drew, who also used to be friends with Oliver, is comfortable and happy where she is. But Oliver, who has traveled around the nation and is coming all the way from New York City...does he even want to live with his mother anymore? While Oliver's mother never stopped looking for him, she also refused to stop living. Now married with two twin girls who Emmy babysits every week, the world has gone forward despite the fact that Oliver has come back and the road ahead for Emmy, Oliver, and those closest to them is paved with hardships.

It took me awhile to truly immerse myself in this tale, primarily because Benway has to set-up the backdrop of this novel and Oliver's story is a sad, depressing one. Though he doesn't suffer from trauma and has been treated like a son by his father, he doesn't go out of his way to befriend students and his arrival in high school isn't the easiest of transitions. Yet, Emmy is a laid-back, easy-going heroine and her willingness to draw Oliver back into her life is what truly made me invested in this love story. Emmy is frank and open about her life, showing Oliver her favorite spots to surf and immediately treating him as the friend he always was to her. The fact that Emmy accepts that Oliver was gone for ten years but acts as if he knows her is what enables him to leave his shell and slowly join her circle of friends.

Emmy and Caro are the type of best friends you always read about or see on television but Benway makes them even more realistic than the classic portrayal. Caro is the youngest of five siblings and unlike Emmy, who is an only child and under the constant scrutiny of her parents, Caro's parents could hardly care less where she is or what she does. She shares a room with her messy older sister, Heather, and Caro dreams of sharing an apartment with Emmy and attending college with her. Drew, who has recently told his family that he is gay, struggles with the fact that his parents still love him and yet are disappointed in him. Their trio is a tight one and while Emmy grows and changes due to Oliver's presence in her life, her friends do too. They each have their own issues and the fact that they became so alive, despite remaining secondary characters, is a testament to Benway's skill.

Emmy and Oliver's own romance is sweet and slow to develop. You're almost not certain if they'll choose to remain friends but it's so very obvious that their feelings for one another run deeper than mere friendship and the support they give one another is incredible to watch. Emmy and Oliver have one another's backs and when they find it difficult to speak with their parents or other friends, they somehow have the right words to coax the truth from one another. Reading about their relationship is heart-warming and swoon-worthy in all the right ways. Especially because, first and foremost, they will always be friends.

I really enjoyed how this novel focused so deeply on family units and parental relationships. Whether it be the relationship Emmy sustains with her parents where she is forced to hide parts of her personality to please them or the one between Oliver and his mother where he feels unable to confide in her, Benway captures both the difficulties and joys of family. Emmy & Oliver is being marketed as a love story but, truly, I felt as if the romance was secondary to the growth both Oliver and Emmy undergo over the course of this novel and, what's more, their friendship and relationships with others--from their parents to their friends to the one between Oliver and his father--is what is at the crux of this novel. Sure, there's a love story too--a sweet, sweet one--but Emmy & Oliver is about so much more than that mere label.

Benway writes in a manner that makes even the darkest of subjects accessible and her trademark humor, combined with the easy sarcastic dialogue she imbibes within her characters, makes her novels fly by. I just can't put one of her books down and Emmy & Oliver, with an older cast on the cusp of transitioning into college, brings forth a variety of themes and concepts that I love to see in YA. Benway explores the idea of freedom in college, not to mention the harsh reality of leaving behind your high school friends, with such aplomb that I hope she returns to this older YA age group and explores more of those ideas in greater depth. Having read her entire backlist at this point, I cannot wait to see what she has up her sleeve next (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another Also Known As novel). Whatever it is, though, it'll be worth the wait. ...more

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Feb 07, 2015 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it really liked it

I adored this. Robin Benway's contemporaries are seriously under-appreciated. If you're looking for something along the lines of Jenny Han or Huntley Fitzpatrick, look no further. So lovely.

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Sep 29, 2017 may ➹ rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, 2017-reads, young-adult, 4-star, library, hardcover, pov-1st, pov-female

i'm surprised that i actually liked this??? but tbh how could i hate on a YA book that actually called out "you're not like other girls"

RTC! sometime in 2018!

---------------------------

I was forced into reading this and I hope I hate it.

(also?? why does every book have the Six of Crows font??? stop trying to be as good as SoC????)

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Sep 13, 2017 *TANYA* rated it really liked it

Super sweet read!!! I liked the how wholesome and innocent the teenagers were. Their banter and camaraderie was very endearing. I got choked up several times during this book, lol, but that's nothing new. Hahaha!!

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Aug 28, 2017 Maureen rated it really liked it

I really REALLY enjoyed this contemporary. I think it was the perfect mix of sad backstory and current happenings and gah it was just great.
I enjoyed the characters a lot even though Emmy said dude too much for my taste, and it was really fun seeing them interact even though I could've done with a bit more development.
My main qualm is that everything tied up a little too quietly, nicely, and quickly at the end. Everything happened way too fast for me.
But overall pretty freaking great. Definitely ...more

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Jun 07, 2017 emily rated it really liked it

An earthquake would have been better. At least during an earthquake, you understand why you're shaking.

An engaging and intriguing novel, not only exposing the everyday dilemmas of adolescence growing up by the sea, but also tackling more serious, mature problems, and skillfully intertwining a most compelling mixture of psychology, friendship, diversity and light heartedness, that definitely help classify Emmy and Oliver as a very good contemporary.

Ooh, I liked this. It's one of those books that ...more

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Mar 03, 2017 Jenny rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, 2017-reads, humor, emotional-read, made-me-cry, romance, reviewed

“The more you start to love someone, the more you ache when they’re gone, and maybe it’s that middle ground that hurts the most, when you can see them and still not feel like you’re near enough.”

Wow. This was such an emotional and moving story, and nothing like I had thought it would be. This was definitely not a cute love story, at least not entirely focused on romance, which was the first impression I got when I read the blurb. But this book was so much better! Emmy and Oliver just became one of my top favorite contemporary reads!!

I had no idea about the book, especially when the title gives no hint and even the blurb doesn't clear anything. The characters in this story deals with some very heave and emotional situations, but despite that, the author managed to keep the scenes light with cute and funny moments between the main characters. We are being told that Oliver, Emmy's childhood best friend was kidnapped by his father and then never came back. But then Oliver returns one day and everything changes after that.

Emmy, who never forgot Oliver and always kept waiting for him to come back, comes to a realization that a lot of things has changed over these years, and with that, even Oliver has changed. She has to adjust a lot with the new changes in her life, with having to deal with Oliver and her parents, who always worry about her, ever since Oliver disappeared.

While Emmy and Oliver are getting to know each other again, the troubles with Emmy's parents keeps on getting more and more serious. Her parents were so paranoid, it was even annoying sometimes that they wouldn't let her do something just because they thought it wasn't safe for her. And while doing that, they didn't know that they were pushing her away with all the restrictions instead of understanding her. I felt really bad for Emmy in many parts, but at some point I could also see why her parents were like that. Seeing a child getting kidnapped is not a thing you forget easily, especially not when it's someone close to you, and Oliver's disappearance changed many people's lives.

It was a really emotional story, with the characters dealing with their past, accepting the new change in their lives (in this case, it was Oliver), and also living with a guilt that he was the reason why all that happened when actually it wasn't really his fault. Oliver's situation was the worst, and it was so sad to see him struggle to fit in this new life, when he was still trying to figure out what was right and what was wrong. My heart ached for Oliver whenever he would get emotional over his father, knowing that his father had kidnapped him, but still couldn't erase all those years he's been living with him. There was always a conflict between his heart and mind, but I was really glad that Emmy was with him the entire time.

There's not a lot of romance, to be honest. It's more about friendships, old love, family, and accepting changes. You might not be able to see any huge plot in this story, but the emotions? They're real, the raw emotions between the main characters will touch your heart. This entire story was so beautiful, even though it did made me teary in a lot of scenes, but this book was so worth it.

Even the characters in this book are very relatable. With Emmy, Oliver, and their best friends, it was one amazing group of characters. I also adored their friendship with each other, how they would stick with each other in all the situations, and even though their friendships had few ups and downs, they always talked it through and tried to solve the issues. And even their fights were adorable!!

It was such a great read, with a lot of emotional moments, but more of funny and cute scenes which I really enjoyed. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a nice contemporary romance. ...more

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Oct 08, 2015 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.75.
I loved this book, it took me awhile because of school which I think is why it's not a solid 5/5. I love all of the characters, Emmy, drew and Caro were hilarious. This book had me cracking up even though it had its more emotional moments. I really liked the realistic idea of parents and how they actually were in Emmy and Oliver's lives instead off in some other dimension (often done in YA) at first I was going to give this book a 4/5 but the more I thought about it the more I realised I ha ...more

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YA Buddy Readers'...: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway - Restarting September 23rd 2018	71	204	Oct 11, 2018 09:42AM
YA Buddy Readers'...: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway - GBR - Starting July 1st 2018	22	155	Jul 12, 2018 07:46AM
Around the Year i...: Emmy & Oliver, by Robin Benway	1	16	Dec 14, 2016 03:25PM
Play Book Tag: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	1	8	Apr 29, 2016 03:11PM
Infatuated by Fic...: Emmy & Oliver	3	9	Apr 15, 2016 06:53PM
Young Adult Conte...: #44 Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway	15	25	Dec 23, 2015 11:57AM

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About Robin Benway

Robin Benway

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Robin Benway is a National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of six novels for young adults, including Audrey, Wait!, the AKA series, and Emmy & Oliver. Her books have received numerous awards and recognition, including a 2008 Blue Ribbon Award from the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, 2009's ALA Best Books for Young Adults, and 2014's ALA Popular Paperbacks f ...more