Lucky Caller

by Emma Mills

When Nina decides to take a radio broadcasting class her senior year, she expects it to be a walk in the park. Instead, it’s a complete disaster.

The members of Nina's haphazardly formed radio team have approximately nothing in common. And to maximize the awkwardness her group includes Jamie, a childhood friend she'd hoped to basically avoid for the rest of her life.

The show is a mess, internet rumors threaten to bring the wrath of two fandoms down on their heads, and to top it all off Nina's family is on the brink of some major upheaval.

Everything feels like it's spiraling out of control―but maybe control is overrated?

With the warmth, wit, intimate friendships, and heart-melting romance she brings to all her books, Emma Mills crafts a story about believing in yourself, owning your mistakes, and trusting in human connection in Lucky Caller.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Young Adult Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult Romance, Realistic Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 14, 2020

About the author

Emma Mills is the author of several novels for Young Adults.

She holds a PhD in cell biology and is known for her YouTube channel, Elmify. She is also the co-creator and co-host of the "life skills" channel How to Adult, which ended in 2016.

Mills lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Reviews

[Lala BooksandLala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Mills delivers another heart warming YA romcom with Lucky Caller! 💕

Thanks to Fierce Reads for sending me a copy- this was such a sweet read with the perfect balance of family, school, romance, and extra curriculars. Emma Mills writes such relatable and well rounded main characters- Nina was a treat to read. I really connected with her...I don't know, lack of passion or direction? I feel like a lot of the MCs I read in end-of-highschool YA have either a) type A with a very clear idea of their future, and the moral of the story is to be more carefree, or b) have a cynical world view and don't care about their future, which is a personality trait seen as a problem that needs to be fixed. Nina was refreshing to read as an average girl just trying to get through highschool and figure things out as they come. She made mistakes, had family drama, struggled through radio broadcasting; but overall the stakes were low. I could have done without the fandom and celebrity portions, but that's not shocking if you know my reading tastes.

The friends to more-than-friends romance worked for me majorly, as well as the sisterly dynamics! Very reminiscent of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, if you're looking for something comparable!

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt like a meh read in written-by-Emma Mills disguise.

Except not really, because THIS IS NOT AN EMMA MILLS COVER.

When I am reading an Emma Mills book (how many times can I say Emma Mills in one review), I expect FUN. I expect CUTENESS. I expect QUIRKY groups of FRIENDS and a CHARMING ROMANCE and a

Instead, this made me feel two things:
1) That maybe Emma Mills books are too similar. (If you described each and every one of her protagonists on paper, I think you'd have four identical descriptions.) (Does she have four books? I can't even remember at this point. I've already begun repressing.)
2) Nothing.

All of those things were present on paper (buh dum ch) but they didn't really come across. I didn't feel them.

This felt like a pale imitation and I am disappointed!!!

I wanted more SISTERS. I wanted more ROMANCE. I wanted more FRIENDSHIP. I wanted more FAMILY. I wanted a love interest character with even half the charm of Gideon from Foolish Hearts!! And honestly...I’m not sure what I got instead?

Bottom line: I wanted falling in love!!! And now I have fallen out of it. :(

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my predominant emotion: nothingness

review to come / 2.5 stars probably maybe 3

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my current emotions:
- breathless anticipation (because emma mills)
- brutal disappointment (because what is this cover)

which will win? to be determined!

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this...is NOT the cover i expected

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PLEASE GIVE ME THIS BOOK

JANUARY 2020 DOESN'T WORK FOR ME SO PLEASE GIVE THIS TO ME NOW

[♛ may · Rating 5 out of 5]

full review posted

so basically,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i am an emma mills stan first and a person second.

so, let's address the cover change that NO ONE was expecting. i love the initial covers that she had, honestly emma mills is the LAST PERSON in the world who needed a cover change for her books but after seeing the new covers all together, i mean,,,,,,,i cannot deny that they are CUTE

(and ok maybe i'm slightly bias because i'm a graphic design in-training and illustrated covers are my favourite thing)

but LOOK HOW CUTE




okay now that we cleared that up, we can get onto the real review.

relatable characters

emma mills is always able to craft the most relatable, realistic portrayal of teenage characters. it's not even the use of current slang or references though that helps but she's able to convey such strong personalities from little clips of dialogue or internal thoughts or accounts from previous incidents

i seriously don't understand how she's able to do it. but its always SO WELL done and reading her books honestly makes me feel like i'm transported into this cute little world and i'm a part of this adorable friendship/family/life

for example, the main character is told she is going to have to team up with some classmates for her radio show and her instant thought process is SO RELATABLE TO ME: an awkward turtle who doesn't know how to make friends/approach people

"The girl sitting in front of me turned around...we weren't exactly friends, but we were friendly at least.
"Want to be in a group?" she asked.
I shrugged like I wasn't supremely grateful to her for initiating, like I wasn't just sitting there hoping someone would. "Sure."

^mememememmemememememme

Nina is the type of main character who feels so authentic that you can’t help but sympathize with her. She isn’t the A type kid or the one who is talented or special, she’s just kind of cruising through life and has no idea what the future holds

She makes jokes instead of showing her emotions, is her own biggest critic, and hates disappointing everyone but feels like it is inevitable

AND I JUST LOVED HOW AUTHENTIC AND RELATABLE SHE WAS

sweet, soft, precious love interest - where are these boys and why can i not find them in real life????

emma mills writes the softest, sweetest love interests. These boys are SO GOOD and SO KIND and Jamie is one of the best. he’s just so caring and sympathetic and he just CARES SO MUCH MY HEART ACHES

“I don’t really care what I do, to be honest. I just want to make a lot of money.”
… “For real? You? Cutthroat businessman fueled by capitalism?”
He shook his head. “Not for myself. Not for, like, cars and watches and stuff…I just want to be able to take care of them. My grandma and grandpa. Life how they’ve taken care of me. I just want them to not have to worry about anything, ever. Life, something comes up, it’s handled. Done. I got it.”

I know I’m kind of dramatic at times (more like, all the time) but after I read that conversation, I literally had to put my phone down and just stare into space, clutching my heart bc I CAN’T IMAGINE A SOFTER HUMAN



And the relationship that grows between Jamie and Nina is really freaking adorable while also being very realistic. They are childhood best friends and emma mills gives us flashbacks to their friendship. and IT’S the small, little, cute games they played on the bus or the imaginary fantasy game they played with her sister, but it’s just so real and pure and PRECIOUS

But then something happens that makes them grow apart (I refuse to tell, read to find out wink emoji) and now they are in the same podcast group at school and have to face the feelings and emotions and unsaid conversations

And that’s the base of where their relationship grows from and aaaaaaaaaa I love REALISTIC RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE HISTORY

Childhood friends to lovers deserves rights, there I said it


AMAZING SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS

Like always, I am an entire sucker to family and sibling relationships. If you have proper, healthy, communicative relationships between siblings (or even if you have difficult family drama that requires growth and maturity) I AM 110% GOING TO STAN YOUR BOOK, I’m sorry I don’t make the rules

So anyways, nina, the main character of the book has 2 sisters. One older and one younger. And they act EXACTLY how you would expect.

Theyre all close with each other but are going through different things at their stage of life (for example, her older sister is trying to figure out university stuff and she’s having a hard time but doesn’t want to share her problems yet)

But the way they rely on each other and joke around and have their cute inside jokes and fights, it MAKES MY HEART SO SOFT

”Oh, bummer,” she said in that sort of sibling way that’s part aggrieved for you, part relieved that they’re not the one who did the thing.
… “Sorry,” I said weakly. “There was…kind of an accident.”
“Nina didn’t mean to break it,” Sidney said helpfully, really cementing that she had nothing to do with it.”

sweetest friend group

So the main character doesn’t really have a solid friend group at school until she is teamed up with three other students for a podcast for their radio class (?? I didn’t take notes while reading ok im sorry) and THEY BUILD A GREAT FRIENDSHIP along with the screw-ups and mistakes and on-air blunders but it’s so FUNNY to follow them and their adventures

Joydeep is an absolute clown, he took some time to warm up but I really like the dynamic he brings to the group (but ok, him hosting the podcast alone was the biggest mistake the group made, no question)


present, realistic parents

I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY loved the parents.

Typically we see lots of unpresent parents in ya stories where the kids run wild and go on adventures and their parents just shrug and shake their heads in mild adoration/disappointment (we’re all unsure how they really feel)

But Nina’s situation is a little different. Her parents got divorced when she was younger and her mother is engaged to marry her future step-father Dan. Nina talks to her father over the phone often enough but he isn’t greatly involved in their lives

Now, The Dantist is literally the coolest parent character in the WORLD. Even though he’s their step-father to be, HES SO PERFECT AND RELIABLE and SWEET. Like the dude literally has a youtube channel where he does paint-by-numbers tutorial and it’s SO WHOLESOME aaaaaaaaaaaa


and side note, i LOVED the cameos of meagan pleasant and TION that came along. I love when books tie in with their previous ones, even if they aren't companion novels it just makes me ridiculously happy to see those references

ok now i'm going to go lie down and think about how much i love the fictional emma mills universe

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this one wasn't a new favorite Emma Mills book for me. While I did still love the writing and got very sucked into the story, I really struggled to connect to the characters. I also felt like there were certain parts of the story (Nina's relationship with her dad in specific) that didn't feel especially resolved in the end and overall this one really just left me feeling... underwhelmed. It wasn't terrible in the slightest, but I just didn't feel the magic with this one like I have felt from other Emma Mills books in the past.

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

ahhh, yes. the curse of changing covers so it doesnt match the other books. its a completely different feel and aesthetic and i think it threw me off because i didnt enjoy this as much as i usually do with her stories.

i mean, this story is cute and wholesome, which is to be expected with an EM book. but i just couldnt feel that spark i normally do. i dunno. maybe its because the plot doesnt really build up to anything. its very one note throughout. very sleepy. which isnt necessarily a fault, it just wasnt enough for me to fall head over heels in like with the story.

however, there is one big positive in the form of jamie. hes an absolute dream. and i enjoyed reading about his childhood friendship with nina. you know i love a good childhood sweethearts moment. so that was redeeming for me.

↠ 3.5 stars

[Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

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This book is so sugary sweet that you shouldn't be surprised if you wind up with sixteen cavities and a toothache after finishing it. I don't usually read fluffy books but once in a while I feel the need to heed the siren call and take a break from my darker fare.



LUCKY CALLER is a YA title about a girl named Nina. Nina has an older sister named Rose and a younger sister named Sidney, and their mom is about to get married to her boyfriend, Dan, a viral YouTuber who does cute, Bob Ross-esque art stuff. Nina is happy for her mom, but she also feels that regret about her dad, who skipped out on them but is still very much around, seeing as how he's a famous radio host living it up in sunny California.



Nina's father is very much on her mind when she signs up for a radio class. When she finds out that her childhood friend, who she may or may not have feelings for, is also in the class, things get even more complicated. Especially when they get put in the same group and the competition-- to see who can get the most on air listeners-- begins to grow fierce among the other students.



I love YA books where the characters have hobbies, and I really liked all the emphasis on what it means to be a successful radio host/star, and all the talk about music and contests and banter. The author did a really good job bringing that all to life, and it was fun to see Nina and her friends grow and become more confident with each "episode" that they did.



I'm giving this three stars because I do think it got a little too twee-- especially with the flashbacks to the imaginary games they played as kids-- and the series of coincidences that brought the book to its climax were a little hard to swallow. It started to feel kind of like a Disney movie-- fun and cute and larger than life, but also not very believable and a bit too fairytale-esque to seem very realistic. But, like a Disney movie, it was cloyingly satisfying in its fashion and left me with a smile.



This should be a must-read for anyone who likes cute, fluffy stories and Disney movies.



Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!    



3 to 3.5 stars

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars 



Lucky Caller is my first book by Emma Mills and I'll definitely be reading more. I loved her writing style and this book gave me the same vibes as Jenn Bennett's books, which I love. I'm sad that this wasn't a total win for me, the first 80% had so many slow moments, but the last 20% I absolutely adored. 

Nina is the middle sister and is going through a lot of changes in her life. Her mother is getting re-married, which means they'll be moving, and she's a senior in high school. She gets into a radio broadcasting class, and her neighbor Jamie happens to be in it as well. She and Jamie used to be close friends, but now they're not so close. It's obvious they care about each other very much, but something happened in the past that put a riff between them. 

I thought Jamie was the sweetest hero and I really liked his character. I liked Nina, but I never felt connected to her. Dan, the 'Dantist' was so great, as well as her radio co-host. I could empathize with Nina's relationship with her father, and I liked both of her sisters lots. The thing I liked most about this story was watching Nina and Jamie get to a better place. I also loved the end of the book with Dan. That was gold. 

Overall, this wasn't a favorite of mine, but it was a solid read. 

[h o l l i s · Rating 3 out of 5]

It breaks my heart a little to say this, and rate this book with only a three, but this is my least favourite Millsy.

There were still moments of out-loud laughter, though not as many. There was still a cool friend group, though it didn't feel as strong or fleshed out. And there was still a moment -- or two -- that teared me up, but.. maybe too late in the game. The book was a bit shorter, the scope a bit smaller, and events and connections lean heavily on some not-present-day recollections, so.. I don't know. Everything I want, and love, from this author was there. Just not as much. Overall everything just felt more muted.

I think if you have enjoyed a Mills before, you'll still enjoy this, too. But it isn't a favourite, I doubt I'll reread, and those are things I've never said before when speaking of her work. But that's okay! Not every book can, or will, be a winner. And I'm sure this'll be someone's favourite. It's just not mine.

** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

And maybe you’ll make a friend, and you won’t see them again, but it doesn’t devalue what you had with them or the time you spent together. That’s still valid, even if it wasn’t built to last. It’s not any less … significant, you know?”

I'm going with 3 stars for this one! I adore Emma Mills, and (with the exception of her first book - I'm sorry, First & Then), I've really enjoyed all of her books. Some, like Famous in a Small Town and Foolish Hearts, I love with my entire being. Others, like This Adventure Ends, I find completely adorable but not life changing, for lack of a better word.

The characters were sweet, and their friendship was charming, but they didn't have the same chemistry as the other groups (the group from Famous in a Small Town is the most funny, clever, and supportive group I've ever read about, hands down). I loved what was said about friendship, though, and that even if people do naturally grow apart over time, that doesn't mean it didn't matter. I find this incredibly relevant, although it's not talked about much in YA contemporary.

Can we talk about Jamie? He was such a sweet and pure character, ugh, my heart. Nina was also a such a relatable and authentic character, which I've definitely come to expect from Emma Mills. She was so afraid of disappointing others and was extremely critical of herself, which wow, I highkey relate to?? She was always making jokes when she got uncomfortable instead of dealing with her emotions, which is a realistic struggle for many people. Also, Dan is such a wonderful character and I loved the fact that it portrayed a positive stepfather relationship!! It was such a refreshing and positive change from the norm.

Overall, this was a heartfelt and entertaining read, but it just didn't live up to Foolish Hearts or Famous. I am so looking forward to reading whatever Emma Mills writes in the future (an auto buy author, for sure!). Also, this triggered a desire to re - read all her books in reverse chronological order, mostly so I can finally decide which of hers is my favorite, so stay tuned!!
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Have you guys SEEN her new covers that match this one?? ugh the foolish hearts one is SO cute and I can’t get over it, I have to stan!! we love authors with matching covers 😍
—————————————————————————
This cover is gorgeous, but it doesn’t match the other four Emma Mills books, which is kind of irritating. Also, why did NO ONE tell me about this?? I love Emma Mills so much. I must have this now.

[Maggie ☘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Mills is really one of the (if not the) best YA contemporary writers out there right now!

We follow Nina, who lives with her mom and two sisters (great sister dynamics!), her father calls once a week but is largely missing from her life. Nina's mother just agreed to mary Dan (The Dantist) and we see Nina's relationship with him change in such a beautifully subtle way, loved it!

We also follow Nina in a school group project - making a radio podcast. Where Nina meets new people and developes awesome frienships (Joydeep, the host of the radio, was such a character to get used to, but he was so hilarious! loved him!), or in the case of Nina and Jamie maybe re-developes again.

The characters and friendships were once again great and adorable and realistic. There was a high school radio station plotline, Nina's mother's boyfriend is an art youtuber in his fifties, we also get to know this fantasy game of pretend Nina and her two sisters have been plaing when they were little.

The romance was just so so adorable - friendship to love (which isn't always my thing, but this case was one of my favourite that I've ever read about!) Jamie was honestly one of the best Emma Mills love interests!

There are also short radio snippets - be it Nina and her team's, her father's or other classmate's station. Although the resolution (twist) at the end was a liiitle bit convenient to be real, tbh I still loved it.

Recommended for those who loved the author's previous books as well as those who like soft, fun (decidedly undramatic) YA contemporaries with charismatic characters, the softest love interests, dynamic friendship and family interactions and fun plotline.

This Adventure Ends 5 stars
First & Then 2.75 stars
Foolish Hearts 5 stars
Famous in a Small Town 4 stars
Lucky Caller 4 stars

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet and romantic. I'm really glad I've discovered this author. I'll try to find her previous work because this one was just my kind of book. The characters are realistic- there are more and more teenagers whose parents are not only divorced, but also live in different cities or even states. There's also wonderful portrayal of sister love.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

[may ➹ · Rating 3 out of 5]

this cover wasn’t it and neither was the inside 😎😎

- liked the sister relationships because I always love those, and there were other wholesome family moments
- quick read just as all Emma Mills books are
- I was entertained but it didn’t feel like a very strong book, especially plot- and romance-wise
- overall enjoyable but not Mills’ best

[Drew's ambitious reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute contemporary story from Emma Mills! I think my favorite is still foolish heart but I liked this one more than famous in a small town. Is it bad to compare authors work?

[julianna ➹ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i need you all to know that this book caused my depression because (a) who allowed emma mills to create characters and relationships that i become wholly attached to and then like... end the book... ... ,, .., (b) i forgot how absolutely emo i can get over childhood-friends-to-lovers like ???? ??? ??? ?? ? (c) this made me feel painfully sad that my life isn't as delightful and filled with clever banter as these characters (d) this is officially my favorite soft contemporary of all time, and i REALLY love that it has podcasts!!! which i am really into!!! and (e) i would like to clarify this book did not cause my depression sorry emma mills

also if you want to listen to podcasts... i recommend reply all by gimlet because their stories are so INTRIGUING but not only that!! the hosts are sooo entertaining

anyways this was my first emma mills book and now i need to head off to absorb her other books into my bloodstream

alsjfladsjflsdfjldskjfldskjflsdkjf
-
100% ready for emma mills to become a new fav

buddy read with the iconic melanie (y'all already know who she is)

[nat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucky Caller was definitely not what I was expecting it to be—I based my expectations for it based off of Mills' sophomore novel, This Adventure Ends , which was a book I liked a lot because of how relatable and genuine the characters were, and the general 'enjoyablility' of the book. So of course, when I heard this book was coming out, I was super excited for it and got an ARC of this book as soon as I could. Unfortunately, I didn't love it as I was expecting to.

This isn't a bad book though. The relationships formed between Nina and her friend group is of course, god level, and so complex. Mills fleshes out her characters in such a way you just love and adore all of them and you can easily see yourself as part of their group. Also the whole radio concept was just [insert every heart emoji in existence] - the Cat Chat thing was so hilarious.

“So when I said that I'd always be your friend, I meant that . . . I always want to be there for you, no matter what. No matter which way. And if you don't feel the same way, that's okay. I understand. I'll just . . . keep on loving you. All those other ways.”

Also, the romance between Nina and Jamie was to die for. I usually don't like reading romance in books that aren't solely in the romance genre because authors can never seem to get it right for me personally (why is it SO HARD to find a book without instalove??), but this romance was written so well. It isn't too heavy—the book isn't completely focused on Nina and Jamie's romance and they can actually communicate just as friends without the awkwardness that so many YA books have, but they also clearly care for each other.

Though of course, I did have some problems with this book. It did drag in some parts - it took me over a month to finish this book, and there just wasn't that 'spark' I had with This Adventure Ends. Also, I feel as if Nina's sisters' storylines could have been more fleshed out?? Yes I know, this book isn't about them, but I would have loved to read more about how Rose was dealing with college, and we didn't really see much of Sidney besides when Kingdom was brought up.

Despite the complications I had with Lucky Caller, I still think this is a good book and would recommend it to anyone who loves sweet contemporaries! I will definitely be reading Emma Mills' other releases soon. (but also I am so mad about this cover. emma mills' other covers for her books were just so perfect with how they all had the same cute theme but then you have this??? smh)

representation: Indian-American character, Black character

content warnings: recreational drug use mentioned, stroke, hospitalization of a grandparent & guardian mentioned, and a coerced kiss (from Rachel's review!)

I received an e-ARC of this book from Henry Holt & Company via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Fares · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I loved the start of this but I didn't like the ending. It was so fun to read tho I really couldn't stop!
This happened to me so many times and I should be upset that I loved this so much only to be disappointed by the end but I'm really not.

I loved every character in this but especially Jaime, he was one of the sweetest boys I ever read about and I love him! I wish we had his pov and I would scream my lungs out if we get a book totally about him!
I love Rose, Sidney and the mom, I love Dan and their father too. I love Joydeep and Sasha. I LOVE EVERYONE! And it's a rare occasion that I do, but if anyone can make me feel that it'd be Emma Mills and she did.
I loved the relationship between some characters and how it developed, especially between Nina and her father, also Nina and Dan.

This book is about Nina, a highschool senior who in order to pass her radio broadcasting class needs to group with her childhood friend Jamie, whom she's been ignoring for the last couple of years. With Sasha and Joydeep the group is aiming for an easy A, just play 90s music and let the show take care of itself. Should be easy right?

I love that plot and writing. I was hesitant at the start because I know school projects, they never really are described correctly in books while in reality, it's just one doing most of the work. This though felt real, because that group dynamic was true enough. There was carelessness, there was staling to the last minutes but there was also friendship and working together.

The family aspects of this were everything to me and I would totally read this if it only had the 3 sisters and their mom hanging around at home!
Dan was a good addition to that mix and I love how Nina had her doubts at first. To me, it felt so real that the development in their relationship would be small and done through actions rather than just having a talk, I love how they started and how they ended even tho it's not the biggest change it's subtle and feels real.
Same thing with Nina and her father. I saw that ending coming but I still love how it's not just your typical one, family relationships are complicated and sometimes they aren't just a "I hate you now" thing.

Still with all these good things, I think it could've been better. I don't like the romance much and I think of all the development in characters and their relationships, the romance was the worst. It felt too much.
I also wanted to see some more things wrapped up nicely or if not then give me the second book that I deserve! I want to know what happens to Rose and her classes and I so want to know about Jamie's parents. I do like some openness in my endings but I think those two are very important things that define those two characters and I want to understand them better.
I also hated that interview at the end because it felt so lucky! I guess with a title like that I should've expected something like this but it honestly was too convenient.

I do recommend this if you want a sweet contemporary about friends to lovers, about family and friendship in general.

[Alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Alexa Loves Books.

I’m honestly not sure where Emma Mills now falls on the list of the YA contemporary authors I read, as her most recent release marks the second book of hers that I found just okay (and more on that momentarily). Lucky Caller had a promising premise: Nina takes a radio broadcasting class her senior year, finds herself in a randomly formed group that somehow includes her childhood friend Jamie who she’s been trying to avoid, and winds up in the middle of a big mess when everything – the show, her family and things with Jamie – gets really complicated. Here’s the bottom line: this is still very much a story told in the Emma Mills style. She writes about ordinary, flawed characters with relatable struggles, and her stories often meander through plots that are slice-of-life with just a touch of something specifically special related to the interests of her characters. This might be a formula that works well for you (as it has for me in the past). But because such a story is primarily character-driven, it works best if you get on with the main character… and sadly, I just never really connected with Nina (though I did find enough of interest about the story to keep me reading till the end). While I’m not sad I read it, Lucky Caller was a bit of a disappointment overall.

** I read this with Rachel for Friends with ARCs.

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[rachel, x · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick thoughts :

• I liked this a lot,, but I didn’t quite love it.
• it made me laugh out loud multiple times and pulled a smile out of me even more times
• it was light and sweet with a touch of emotion… but it’s just somehow a forgettable read
• I loved that Nina, our mc, was so down-to-earth and real. I love a flawed character.
• She was so scared of upsetting people, a real people pleaser at heart, and she reminded me a little of myself at times. which I always appreciate!
• but I just didn’t give a shit about the romance, and that really pulled me out of the story
• I mean, Jamie was a sweetheart, and I do love me a soft boy, but they had zero chemistry
• it was all awkward moments and history that felt more like insurmountable baggage than the usual angst of childhood-friends-to-lovers
• the sisterly relationship was *chef’s kiss* though
• I want a Rose spin-off this second
• I also really loved the development of her relationship with her stepfather, Dan
• the radio show was fun!
• and the friendship dynamic between Joydeep, Sasha, and Nina & Jamie was great
• the fandom element was a little unrealistic. I mean, a celebrity just randomly turning up at a high school radio show? Hmm, idk… but like I said, it was a lot of fun
• The entire ‘my boyfriend thinks he’s a tree, PHOLEM!’ thing made me proper Laugh

… so more positives than negatives. I guess it’s more of a gut feeling about this one. It was good but it just didn’t hit me, you know? I don’t have that feeling in my stomach where I’m like ‘this book! ✨😍✨’ ... but I'll definitely read more Emma Mills. I’ve heard she does friendship groups well and this friendship bants were solid so I believe it. Maybe Foolish Hearts or This Adventure Ends?


➸ Trigger warnings for recreational drug use mentioned, stroke (sc), hospitalization of a grandparent & guardian mentioned, and a coerced kiss*.

*The situation is the mc's best friend plays a 'kiss cam' game where she tells her friends a person they have to try and kiss. Nina recounts purposefully coercing a kiss out of Jamie, her li, while her friends 'spy' from an adjourning room.

▷ Representation: Joydeep (sc) is Indian.

◯ Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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[Wybredna Maruda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeśli myślisz, że prowadzenie audycji radiowej to bułeczka z masełkiem, "Szczęśliwe Połączenie" udowodni Ci, że bułeczką też można się zakrztusić.

Nina, w ramach szkolnych zajęć, musi poprowadzić audycję radiową. Byłoby pewnie łatwiej, gdyby trafiła na grupę, z którą lepiej się dogada. A tak to o, ktoś chce zrobić po swojemu, ktoś naciśnie zły guzik, ktoś powie coś nieprzemyślanego – i w ten sposób w eter idzie plotka, którą trudno jest wycofać.

Czy to wszystkie problemy Niny? Jasne, że nie. Jest jest życie prywatne, domowe. Ojciec mieszkający na drugim końcu kraju, facet, który za chwilę stanie się jej nowym ojcem. I jeszcze dwie siostry – starsza, ta najmądrzejsza, i młodsza, zakochany w musicalu kłębek czystej energii. No i jest jeszcze ten sąsiad, z którym Nina się wychowywała. Fajny taki. Ale w sumie nie, raczej nic z tego nie będzie, są jak rodzeństwo, do tego dziewczyna zrobiła mu kiedyś ogromną przykrość i od tego czasu chłopak unika jej, jak może.

Życie nie jest proste 😅

Emma Mills ma niezwykły dar tworzenia najbardziej realistycznych postaci młodzieżowych, jakie przyszło mi spotkać – zarówno bez filozoficznych i psychologicznych przemyśleń, do których osoby w takim wieku, bez masy doświadczeń życiowych, nie są raczej skłonni, jak i bez na siłę nastoletniego slangu i przepełniania dialogów rozmowami o jednym, jakby w tym wieku faktycznie tylko o jednym można było myśleć. U Emmy postacie są niezwykle różnorodne, a nadal tak prawdziwe, że możemy do nich dopasować naszych znajomych.

"Szczęśliwe Połączenie" to przemiła, przesympatyczna powieść o dorastaniu, relacjach z najbliższymi i próbach samodzielnego radzenia sobie z problemami – ale podkreśla także, że czasem warto poprosić o pomoc. To historia pełna niedopowiedzianych uczuć, których nikt nie musi nam nazywać ani tłumaczyć – czujemy je między wierszami i to całkowicie wystarcza. Przemiła, ciepła historia do pochłonięcia w dwa wieczory.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrBHx...

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many reasons why Emma Mills is one of my favorite YA authors, and this book is just one of them.

Once again, I have finished reading an Emma Mills book, and I was left floating on a cloud of happiness. Seriously, this was me, after reading Lucky Caller:



I guess, the plot of this story was Nina's radio show, and how a plan to attract more listeners sort of took on a life of its own. It was quite hilarious, did a nice job driving the story, and, you know, o, what a tangled web we weave and all that, but as always, I was won over by the characters and the relationships that Mills depicted within the story.

The book opened with Nina celebrating Christmas with her mother, two sisters, and her mother's new fiancee, the Dantist. Right away, I could tell I was going to adore this family, because the sisters had a great vibe with each other and enjoyed an easy rapport with their mother, while it was obvious how hard Dan was trying to show his affection for the girls. I love seeing positive YA families, and this one warmed my heart.

Not only did Mills give us great families, but she also assembled quite a wonderful group of friends for Nina. Chance, and a mandatory group of four, brought Nina, Joydeep, Sasha, and Jamie together. They had such a great dynamic, and the scenes featuring all four of them almost always left me laughing and grinning. I never imagined them gelling so well, when they were first introduced, but they were a perfect squad, and I had so much fun on and off the air with them.

Speaking of Jamie, Nina had quite a complicated relationship with him. They had grown up, side by side, and were very close friends until an incident in middle school forced a wedge between them. Mills slowly revealed the details over the course of the story, and obviously, it made me sad, but you know what made me happy? The fact that the radio show pushed them back together, and that they renewed their friendship. I'm getting all warm and fuzzy just thinking about the moments they shared, and the mushy exchanges they had as they were growing closer and closer to each other, once again. It was a wonderful thing to watch, and Mills let it unfold quite beautifully.

There were also all these wonderful and subtle life lessons in there. One thing, which came up in a few different ways over the course of the story, was about endings. Marriages, friendships, and other relationships may end, or simply have some bad parts, but it doesn't erase or devalue the entire experience. I think sometimes it's hard to remember that, when you are hurt or hurting, and it's good to remind yourself that all experiences hold some sort of value. It could be something that we keep in our heart or something that serves as a learning experience, but it has value and always will.

Things to love in this book:
✓ Fabulous family
✓ Fantastic friendships
✓ Sisterly bonds
✓ Radio fun
✓ Kingdom and Prince Hapless
✓ M&M filled cakes
✓ Mills fandoms - TION, Megan Pleasant
✓ Friends-to-more romance
✓ Sweet unicorn boy love interest
✓ Unexpected and wonderful surprises
✓ The Dantist
✓ The ending ❤️

As always, Mills gifted me with a hartwarming story, which touched me and left quite a bit of sunshine in my heart.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[ashleyyyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pre-Reading Review 8/19/19
Am I disappointed this is not a classic Mills cover? Yes.
But am I still in love with her? Also, yes. GO OFF, MILLS! Let's do this! 2020 can't come fast enough!

[Ania · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
Wydaje mi się, że potencjał był, ale najzwyczajniej w świecie nie został wykorzystany. Książka lekka, dobra na jedno posiedzenie, jednak niestety nic poza tym ;(

[Jane (It'sJaneLindsey) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just...not good. Definitely my least favorite Emma Mills novel thus far. After being disappointed in Famous in a Small Town, I hoped that I’d love Lucky Caller like I did Foolish Hearts and This Adventure Ends. Unfortunately, this book was a major letdown for me.

[ila ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

starting my Emma Mills Summer '22 Marathon™ with her latest book, Lucky Caller! i can't stress enough how much i love her books – i really do think she's one of the best YA contemporary writers out there, and everybody who loves this genre should give her a chance.

i liked everything about Lucky Caller, really: the format, the characters (all of them), the plot twists, the family dynamics, the friendships, the relationship between the two MCs, and the fact that, while there's a few pop culture references, it's nothing crazy/exaggerated – just enough to make the characters seem realistic/relatable; real teenagers.

instead of the e-book, i decided to give the audiobook a chance this time around, and i absolutely loved it. the narrator is great, and it took me a little under six hours to listen to it. as for the rating, i still agree with past-me: it's a four-star read (8/10) for me. onto the next, Famous in a Small Town!

✧

original review (January 2020)

4 stars! i love Emma Mills (without a doubt, my favourite discovery of 2019), and her books are my go-to whenever i'm feeling down or sad, or when i hit a reading slump. i love everything about them.

now, i don't think that Lucky Caller is quite on the same level as Foolish Hearts and Famous in a Small Town (which are her best books, in my opinion), but it's still a pretty fun, sweet, and charming read. such a breath of fresh air. (as a side note, is "childhood friends to sort-of-strangers to lovers" my new favourite trope? it might be).

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ✨ | 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨—𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩, 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮. 𝙄𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧.

This was enjoyable and a fast read (obviously since I literally finished it in one setting). It’s a story about family and friendship. I liked the relationship between Nina and her sisters; reminded me of my own sister. And I like the way how Nina and the members of the radio team slowly became friends. The romance was sweet but very brief; like in the last 20 pages or something. I would’ve liked for it to be longer.

It isn’t my favorite book of Emma Mills. I read all her other books and this is my least favorite. I guess YA contemporary is not one of my favorite genres anymore😅but regardless, this is a good book to binge read if you’re looking for a light, fast read. Also a good pick for a readathon!

But also look at that pretty cover😍💗can I give one more star just for it?👀

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

We were an ongoing moment-one I hoped I would never see the end of.

I liked the story revolving around the radio station but I think the whole book lacked some depth, especially in the first half. The second part of the novel was definitely more enjoyable and it's where most of the action took place.
As always with Emma Mills's books, I really liked the characters she created. All of them are just great, main and side characters alike, and the relations that Mills depicts feel so realistic and organic.
Even though there were some things I would have changed, this was still an enjoyable read.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Rating: —> 3.5 Stars rounded up

Not my favorite Emma Mills book, unfortunately. In fact I think I liked this least of all her books. Thats not BAD though. Just... I felt the least amount of connection to the characters in this one. It was pretty damn great though. It was enjoyable as all EM’s books are. Lovable characters, cute, fun plot, great familial relationships, new friendships.

Sugary sweet. It was wonderful!

:-)

______________________

So— i just bought this (yay!), but can’t help but feel a little robbed (boo!) of the cover of this book that never was. Idk wtf kind of switcharoo is going on with emma mills’ covers but I do NOT like it! Is it wrong of me to have gotten attached to her faniciful, artwork in their own right, découpage & mixed media style art that graces her other covers?

Why now???

I feel like they were what was setting her apart from a stormy sea of confusing, indiscernible YA contemporaries; each Mills book a large, bright star, with its starshine reflected on the surface of the water, creating something not unlike a beacon for us readers out there that happen to have grown sick of the monotony, the misrepresentation, lack of representation, the sorrow, etc., of the common YA contemporary.

*dramatically weeps into the murky YA contemporary oceanic waters*

😉

[Dahlia]

Emma Mills is just so good at being Emma Mills. This love was a little slower burn for me than her others have been but she’s one of the only authors who can make me laugh out loud repeatedly and her friend groups are always, always so much fun, and romances so sweet and endearing. Instabuy 4eva.

[Inside My Library Mind · Rating 5 out of 5]

More reviews up on my blog Inside My Library Mind

“That’s still valid, even if it wasn’t built to last. It’s not any less significant.”

The Premise
I loved the premise this book was based on. As part of their class about radio, Nina, our protagonist, and her classmates have to produce and broadcast a radio show for their student radio station. I thought this was such a nice concept and I think it translated into the book so well. I loved seeing the bits about their show and parts of their broadcast in the book so much. I think the setting of the radio booth really allowed for the dynamic of the group to blossom and I just loved how it played into their personalities. Nina’s dad is also a radio show host and we also get bits and pieces of his show, and I really enjoyed that as well. I am a huge podcast lover, so I really loved that this book is sort of adjacent to that, and I think it’s such a unique setting.

Characters and Relationships
As with any Emma Mills book, the characters were amazing and the friendships and family relationships were beyond cute. I loved Nina a lot as a main character. I think as with any Emma Mills protagonist, she felt very real and flawed, but she was also very self-aware and wanted to grow and change in the end. That’s why I love her characters so much – they feel like real teenagers and real people, who are flawed and make mistakes, but are also self-aware and grow so much during the novel. Plus, Nina is really sarcastic and funny and has a problem with expressing her emotions, so you know – RELATABLE.

Jamie was one of my favorite Emma Mills love interests. He is such a cinnamon roll and he is just the purest, most kind human being. I LOVED learning about his and Nina’s relationship before they had a falling out, and I loved seeing them slowly become friends together and then more. It was so soft and pure.

The rest of the characters were also amazing! I loved Joydeep so much, because he is a riot and I loved Sasha so much because she is the coolest person ever. I wish we could get a book from her own point of view. And their group dynamic was superb. I loved seeing them get to know each other and then become friends, IT WAS PRECIOUS.

And again, I loved the way Emma Mills acknowledges that there are people who are temporary in your life and that those relationships aren’t less valuable. I think that’s something that the people who are leaving high school right now will really benefit from seeing in books. And older people too. I think she manages to write high school and friendships really realistically and I really enjoy that about her writing.

Family Ties
I loved Nina’s family so much. She has two sisters and she lives with her mom, who just got engaged to her boyfriend Dan. Emma Mills is really good at writing great sister dynamics and I loved seeing how Nina interacted with Sydney and Rose. I also loved the way her relationship with her dad was explored, and how she dealt with her parents’ divorce. Dan is a superb character (I mean he is paint-by-number Youtuber!!!) and seeing his and Nina’s relationship evolve was again, so well done.

The Extra Stuff
There was a play-pretend game that the girls and Jamie used to play when they were younger, called The Kingdom. All of them had their own characters and we get flashbacks of them playing, but also Nina and Jamie used the game to communicate when they did not know how to start a conversation with one another and that was just so precious. And I used to have the same kind of elaborate play-pretend game when I was in preschool with my friends, so this was so nice to see on-page.

ALSO, we got a Megan Pleasant reference (from Famous in a Small Town) and a significant TION (from the rest of the Mills universe) appearance and that just made me really happy.

To Sum Up
I loved this book and could not recommend it more. I think this has such a lovely and unique premise and if you love books about friendship and family, this is one you definitely want to pick up.

* I received a free eARC copy of the book from the publisher through Edelweiss. All opinions stated are my own

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[Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was adorably cute and I loved the friendship group throughout the entire book! Like all Emma Mills books, Lucky Caller manages to perfectly balance the drama and the heart to create a world you don't want to leave.

The relationships in this story just completely hook you - Nina's relationships with her siblings, her relationship with her broadcasting group, with her parents - it just all so good! Plus the romance was an adorable second chance, friends-to-more hybrid that gave me butterflies. I also loved getting small nods to other things in Emma Mills' universe - like a This is Our Now reference, it keeps a fun element to her books, catching random references. Overall, another wonderful story from Emma Mills with a ton of heart, Lucky Caller is a story you won't put down.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.