Dear Emmie Blue

After finishing Take What You Can Carry, I went back to Leadership in Turbulent Times. I couldn't focus on Abe Lincoln. I needed something lighter, just to take a break. I went in search of some good epistolatory fiction. You know, a novel told in letter or email format. And I wanted the subject to be simpler. And it had to be available as an e-book at the library. Somehow I came up with Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis. Not exactly what I was looking for, but I was intrigued.

Emeline Blue was 16 when she sent a balloon up to the sky with a note attached, writing about her sorry life. A few weeks later, across the water in France, Lucas Moreau finds the balloon, reads Emmie's note, and he reaches out to her. So starts one of the deepest types of friendships. At the start of the book, it's Lucas and Emmie's 30th birthday (Can you believe they share the same birthday? I mean what are the chances?). Lucas has a big question to ask Emmie. She think that Lucas is going to pop the question. You know the question! Not, "Will you be the best woman when I get married in a few months?" She didn't even know he had a girlfriend.

I wasn't sure how I felt about this book when I started to read. I sometimes struggle with chick lit, especially when the main character is a younger woman. That wasn't the case here, though. I'm not sure what held me back from really loving this book from the start. But as I read, I really enjoyed it. I liked the creative storylines and how those that required a lot of attention got a lot of attention and those that were important but didn't need a lot of attention were covered just the right amount. Nearly all the characters were so likeable, too. I can only think of three characters that I didn't like.

I loved Emmie's other friendships and relationships. As Emmie struggled through some things, I was totally rooting for her. 

I'm not sure for whom I would recommend Dear Emmie Blue, but I really enjoyed it!