Change of title: Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer

Hey guys,  as you have remembered I reviewed Anne Pfeffer's book Loving Emily awhile ago..

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

So I received an email from the author ...Here's the result:

Any other night, Ryan Mills would have driven his best friend, Michael, to Emily's sweet sixteen party at the Breakers Club. Instead, determined to win over the birthday girl, he goes to the party early and alone, setting off a chain of events that ends with a car accident in which Michael dies.

Ryan blames himself for what happened to Michael. As far as he's concerned, he doesn't deserve to have love or ever be happy again. Then he learns Michael left a secret behind. Ryan feels compelled to take on his friend's unfinished business, and in the process, changes his life forever and becomes a man.

This book was published in October 2011 under the title Loving Emily. In May 2012, it was reissued with its content unchanged as Any Other Night. Many older ratings and reviews remain under the old title. Please put newer ratings and reviews here.

A NOTE ABOUT CONTENT: in this book, some characters use profanity, engage in nonexplicit sexual activity, or take illegal drugs.

Thank you! :)

The new title is Any Other Night. There's a new cover as well, but the content of the book is completely unchanged.
 

Anne did this in response to comments, and her own feeling, that the title Loving Emily and its cover didn't represent the book as well it should. I think and hope that the new cover and title do.

She's keeping alive her listings for Loving Emily on Goodreads and Amazon. All the old reviews and ratings will be there, along with a note to new readers that the title has been changed. There are also new listings for Any Other Night, which should slowly fill up with new reviews.

If you have read the book or would read, you can either:

1. Do nothing

2. Post a notice about the title and cover change (cover is below)

3. Add Any Other Night to your list of reviews and crossreference it back to Loving Emily

4. Keep Loving Emily in your list of reviews but cross reference it to Any Other Night

I think I love the new cover more.. I could finally clearly see Ryan..lol.. and "Any Other Night" majorly represents what the book is all about (I think).. read it too so we could have the same sentiments..:D

What do you think???

leave your thoughts in the comments please

Book Review: Loving Emily

Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (November 17, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1466341823
• ISBN-13: 978-1466341821

Ryan Mills is torn with guilt over the death of his best friend, and it's all because of Emily Wintraub. If Ryan hadn't seen those incredible gray-blue eyes, hadn't pegged her as a Potentially Amazing Woman, he would never have gone looking for her at the party that night. He would never have left his wasted friend Michael alone, when Michael needed him and asked him to stay. And if Ryan hadn't left, Michael would never have driven off, totaled his car, and taken the cosmic rocket ride into death.

As far as Ryan's concerned, when you’ve done something terrible, you don’t deserve to be happy. He tries not to fall for Emily, but he can't help it. Before long, he is "completely, gonzo, out-of-control in love." Ryan then learns that Michael died with a secret. Still grieving, he feels compelled to take on his friend's unfinished business.

When Emily begins to question where his commitments really lie—with her or with Michael’s memory—Ryan is forced to examine his choices. What does he owe to Michael, to Emily, and to himself?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

♥♥~♥♥♥ ♥:)♥♥~♥ ♥♥





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