Here is a summary of what the book is about.  Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart.  In Emmy's soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles- impossible to fit together?

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 worrying. But Emmy's parents can't seem to let  her grow up- not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.... He'd thought, all these years, that  his dad was a good guy. He never knew that it was his father who had kidnapped him and kept him on the run.

Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing, and his thoughts swirling.

Readers will devour theses pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver's father's crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable  story.

Wow  what an amazing story. I thought it was written very well.  

I found this book to be a real page turner. It was cute and sweet. I couldn't put it down.

My husband bought this book for me as a gift and I fell in love with the cover.

I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Release Date: June 23rd, 2015
Source: Hardcover from the publisher
Published by: HarperTeen

Emmy and Oliver - Robin Benway | Goodreads

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 worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.

Emmy and Oliver is, without a doubt, a wonderful summer beach read. It's true that the novel tackles tough issues - namely Oliver's kidnapping and how that, and his return, affects him and the community at large - but Emmy and Oliver tackles these issues with a light heart. The humor and banter between Emmy and her friends, and Emmy and her parents, help balance out the novel's serious topic.

Probably my favorite part of this novel was the character cast and how seamlessly Robin Benway had run through the dialogue between the characters, namely Emmy with her parents and friends. Lately I've been cracking up with my coworkers about dad humor - Benway nails this to a pitch. Same with the interactions between Emmy and her friends; all the inside jokes, their banter helped lend authenticity to the characters, their situation, the novel at large (and they often also brought a smile to my face!). Still it's not all fun and games - I also appreciated Benway's effort to give her main side characters conflicts of their own - Emmy's parents and their overprotective attitude after Oliver's kidnapping; Drew and his parents's intolerance; Caro trying to find herself in her overstuffed house.

The same goes for the romance. Emmy and Oliver first become friends - so that Oliver can have someone to confide in - before anything romantic can happen. But when it does, the banter and trust between the two of them shows their very clear chemistry. So, so cute together, and I was rooting for them from the start.

Emmy and Oliver is also a fairly quick read. I read about 40-70 pages each train ride to and from work, which meant finishing the novel in a matter of a few days. The writing is smooth & the novel the fast-paced. If you want easy to ready writing, engaging characters with humorous and heartfelt banter, and a sweet romance, this should be your next summer read.

I've said this before and I'll probably say it many more times, but Robin Benway is one of very few authors who can make me laugh out loud. It's Roux, Maggie's best friend, who is so hysterical. Her dialogue is blunt and unexpected, and goes with her phenomenal character development.

Because while Benway brings the funny, she excels at characterization.

Roux, for example, has grown so much since Also Known As. She's a supporting character but with just as many layers as Maggie. Meanwhile, Maggie's relationship with her parents continues to be an awesome part of this series. There's no missing parent syndrome here, as their family is incredibly tight knit. Does Maggie have a bit more freedom than the average teenager? Well, yes- but she is a spy, so I think that's to be expected.

In the midst of the wit, the friendships, the family dynamic (not to mention Maggie's relationship with Jessie, who is such a sweetheart), the suspense is absolutely insane. Maybe I'm the only one, but when something unexpected or exciting happens in a book, I do this I-Did-Not-See-That-Coming wiggle. That wiggle was happening quite a lot and I really, really want to discuss some of the book's events, but I also want you to experience it for yourself. Let's just say there's a lot of action.

There are also some brand new characters introduced who are, of course, great. Oh, and Angelo is in prime form (seriously, Angelo and Rue's friendship is completely adorable).

If you haven't read Going Rogue yet, please do! And then come back here and talk to me about it, okay? We can wait for the third book together, since you'll be dying to know what's going to happen to Maggie's family next.

Just for fun Q: If you were a spy, would you want to be a safe cracker, a computer hacker, or a linguist?

For more reviews like this, visit The Page Sage. :)

This is exactly what it says on the tin–a fun, lighthearted teen spy book. Perfect for Ally Carter fans who are waiting for the next book, or anyone else who likes romps through New York as seen by the daughter of two international spies.