I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I actually could not put it down (even at work). I loved the way Choi switched the point of view from Sam to Penny. It was refreshing to see two protagonists develop and interact with each other.

Adorable read. I fell in love with the characters and I really didn't want this one to end. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Definitely check it out if you like quirky pov's with something that everyone can relate to in some way.

The cover initially drew me in, and after reading the description on Netgalley, I knew I had to read this book.

The characters were so strongly developed, you couldn’t help but fall in love with them. Both characters were quirky in their own right, it was refreshing seeing a strong female that wasn’t cast a wallflower type, but instead was intelligent and strong even though she had feelings of an outsider. Penny was always prepared while being a funny character at the same time. Sam, was more of the tragic character, who you route for as the reader.

The chemistry between Penny and sam was incredibly well done, and the author did such a great job building this solid, and strong dynamic for the reader to dive into.

The book was very well done, and as a reader I wasn’t disappointed.

I really enjoyed how this book was written. Each chapter alternated between the two main characters. Their thought processes were very much so how a young 20-year-old would think about and make decisions. And when it came to Penny, she always had a list of options to choose from for situations that were awkward to her. Her brain was like a compendium of pros/cons lists.

Penny was very funny and awkward. She deals with problems in unusual ways which just makes her that much more interesting. Sam has had a hard life and is making the best he can out of what he has. His heart has been broken and he is just trying to figure out how to take the next steps in his life while keeping his head above the water. Also, he is an excellent baker :P

These two meet each other through a mutual acquaintance and become friends that only text each other but don't hang out. They are essentially support systems for each other hence the title "Emergency Contact".

If you want a cute love story set in modern day about two social misfits, then this book is for you.

I wasn't expecting to love this novel as much as I did. But yeah, I loved it! I actually could not pull myself away from this book!

I think that the characters in this book were absolutely brilliant. I loved that our protagonists were so different from others, and yet, were easy for the reader to relate to. Their way of thinking isn't something that is so out of the ordinary, it's just the way they express themselves that is so unique. I loved how these two got closer to each other and I liked that the author used text messages as the main platform for their communication; any time an author uses a different medium and structures passages from their books in that format, I love it. 

This novel didn't have a super speedy plot. It was definitely a slow burner but that meant there was plenty of time for the relationship to develop between Penny and Sam. I think that in order for the romance, which is the main focus of the story, to develop properly, it needed to take as much time as it did to be successful. So I really didn't mind the slower plot. And it honestly didn't feel that slow to me! I chalk it up to the really great writing and the way that the author allows the readers to connect with the different characters; I was too invested to care about how slow the story was moving!

However, there were certain things about this book that weren't handled as well. The author creates two characters that have a whole bunch of other issues and traumas in their life. Slowly, we find out what these traumatic incidents/issues are ... but they don't get properly addressed or resolved. They are put in there to explain certain aspects of behaviour, but are easily dismissed or "fixed". This annoyed me a bit because it's a very unrealistic portrayal of how people cope and change over time. If this had been properly executed, I would probably have given a higher rating. Better yet, why even include those aspects if they don't play a central role to the story or won't be addressed properly? The story wouldn't have suffered without their inclusion, and I really don't get why so many authors feel the need to introduce traumatic pasts into their characters' lives. 

Despite this last issue, I still really enjoyed this novel. It exceeded my expectations in a lot of ways and it was an engrossing story. I fell for the characters and their romance, so for those reasons, I'm giving this a 4/5 stars.

I actually found this book super hard to get into. In fact, I couldn't. I tried so many times at first and found myself thinking of just about anything else. I knew I needed to read it for NetGalley and get a review up, so one night, I started again. Once I set my sights on actually reading it, I found that I was enjoying it! It was funny, heartfelt and I was finally looking forward to being able to read, and then it "expired" and I couldn't read my galley copy any longer!
So to be honest, I can't write a fair review. I will say I have heard amazing things about Emergency Contact and the reviews are so good. I'd love to pick up this book at some time, and give it a second chance for sure!
If you've read it, what did you think?

This was far better than I was expecting it to be. In fact, I absolutely LOVED it. I kept putting it off since I had read some pretty negative reviews. I need to learn to just ignore all that noise. This book was one of the most personal experiences I’ve had while reading YA contemporary. I immediately connected and related to Penny and Sam as characters and the dual perspective narration throughout the book was perfect. I never once felt bored with either of these characters, their feelings or their actions. There were many parallels between what happened in the book and events in my own life which made me enjoy the book even more, but it’s undeniably just a really good story. It’s not even a story necessarily though. It’s a snapshot in time of Penny and Sam’s lives and the development of an unexpected connection.

I was not expecting this book to be so funny. Like, laugh out loud, snorting funny. The writing style was so refreshing and I loved every single pop culture reference and joke. This was an absolute joy to read.

The romance was slow building, with a disappointing climax, but hey that’s the reality of life. This book was realistic and I loved the romance and I felt butterflies in my stomach. I felt smitten. The text conversations between the two characters made my heart soar and I was smiling so wide. This book captured the spirit of young love. I fell in love with Sam, right along with Penny. I was with her every step of the way, with every text message.

I think this book will be loved by many and also hated by many. If at first you don’t connect with either Sam or Penny, I think the book would be quite pointless for the reader. It would be difficult to recommend this book to people, just based on that fact it could go either way. This book was raw and captured the lives of two different people who happened to be each other’s “person”, their emergency contact, the one they depend on and it was beautiful.

Sorry could not get into this book and did not finish.

This is a character driven novel. It’s not my favourite kind of story. I prefer a strong plot. But others will probably enjoy it more than me.

I liked the quirky characters. Penny was funny, and I loved how she was always so prepared. Sam was a tragic character. They both grew up in single parent households and faced some struggles. Jude and Mallory were the opposites of them, because they seemed like they had everything together. These contrasting characters were great.

It took a long time for the story to start moving forward. For the first hundred pages or so, the characters kept reflecting on things that happened to them in the past. I kept wondering where the story was going. For me, that was too long to start the main storyline.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me, but I’m sure many other readers will enjoy this style.

Emergency Contact is a slice of life story with some unexpected heavy topics that threw me off guard. The writing is so well thought out, quirky and sharp like a whip that it keeps the story entertaining even though nothing really happens. It's both a romance, a coming of age story with some trauma on the side. So don't be fooled by the easy going nature of the introduction and setup of characters.

What impressed me about this book was both Penny and Sam's character development is so spot on. There's this constant back and forth of good and bad behaviour from them both. Penny's complicated relationship with her mother was abrasive at times, but then she would have these wonderful moments with her friends. She doesn't know who she is yet, and is coming into her own which is always lovely to read about.

Penny and Sam's courtship via text works in a way that's both addicting and adorable to read. Their flirty conversations really do carry that butterflies in your stomach kind of feeling. Just when you think you're not sure where it could go, Choi takes it up a notch by developing it further in a new direction. There's nothing cheesy about their romance. My one issue though is that the trauma I mentioned earlier gets dropped out of the blue and it felt disjointed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It explores issues of identity, creativity and family with a wry sense of humour and heart. I would recommend this book if you enjoy a more serious contemporary romance.

“Jude nudged her. “Can you do me a favor? Can you tell me this story the opposite of the way you’d tell it normally? Start at the beginning and don’t leave anything out.”


I set myself up for high expectations on this one after reading rave review from Rainbow Rowell, one of my all-time favourite authors Trying to set that aside and think about how this story made me feel, expectations aside, I would rate this book at about 3.75, rounding up to 4.

Penny was off to college and hoping to both kick-start her life and re-invent herself. Sam, a little older, was going through some stressful and traumatic events, though, truth be told, that could be said about his entire life. The situation which causes both to become each other’s emergency contacts was very heartwarming and, for me, the catalyst that put the story into “enjoy” mode for me.

I quite enjoyed the story at times and found myself less engaged at others. If I had to put my finger on why, I think it boiled down to me really liking the parts of the story where Penny and Sam were interacting versus the times when their stories did not connect.

I really liked how the author executed Penny and Sam getting to know one another as their feelings deepened, all within the safety of their devices. Each needed that safety, though for different reasons. When each character was interacting with the “real” world, I often found myself wishing we could get back to the thoughts and feeling shared between the two while texting one another.

All in all, an enjoyable read!

I loved this story.
It wasn't perfect and the beginning was a little slow, but once the two protagonists begin to text, it's all a quick read from there. The characters' journeys in their art and in their growing relationship made this an addicting read for me.

I was wary when I saw this book recommended for “fans of Eleanor and Park” because I loved that book so much and didn’t want to be set up for disappointment. Happily, I wasn’t disappointed at all. While this is certainly a much different story, Sma and Penny in Emergency Contact still gave me the warm, fuzzy, happy feelings that Eleanor and Park did. I especially loved Penny, who despite feeling like an outsider is a not a shy wallflower but rather a smart, funny young woman with a backbone. And Sam is a worthy match for her.
#emergencycontact #netgalley

This novel is amazing! I loved the characters and the writing style. I feel like the story progresses really naturally and it’s truly believable. I also really enjoyed the writing aspect of the story, seeing as I am a Literature student. I’d definitely recommend it!

Penny has just started college and, after a brief introduction to Sam at the cafe where he works via her roommate, she’s surprised to find him having a panic attack one day out on the street. After she drives him home, they exchange phone numbers to ensure the other is okay. Taking their new roles as each other’s emergency contact seriously, the two start texting each other constantly, developing a strong online kinship, both hesitant to bring their new found friendship into the real world and see each other face-to-face.

So. Much. Swooning. I absolutely adored this book. Loved the cover, loved the story, loved the characters. The chemistry between Penny and Sam was undeniable and Choi did a great job at building that dynamic. I became so enamored with these two characters’ wit and banter that I couldn’t get enough of them!

With Penny being Korean, I found that her ethnicity did not necessarily define her in this novel. While, of course, it’s important to have Asian representation, I also really appreciated that the story didn’t focus solely around her race. Similar to how, for example, some books may have a gay character and that is what the narrative focuses on, constantly reminding readers of that fact, where I felt the storytelling has really started to shift in the last few years. People of colour, LGBTQ characters… that’s not their one defining quality in a story anymore. In this instance, Penny was just like any other young woman, starting college and meeting new people. I enjoy reading diverse books with diverse stories but I also like seeing the other side as well – where there are diverse characters having universal human experiences. Asian characters don’t always have to have exclusively “Asian experiences” – I certainly don’t! – and I loved being able to relate to Penny’s feelings towards a new school, family and friends.

I also found it interesting how Choi included as a subplot the protagonists’ relationships with their family, especially their mothers. It seems so often that the trope of traditional family roles are represented in novels but it was eye-opening and refreshing to see examples of when a mom doesn’t necessarily behave as one expects a mom to. This, too, I felt was very realistically represented. Whether it’s a mom, dad or other family member – I would believe that the majority of us know someone in our lives that may not necessarily live up to what your expectations of how that person should be. The frustrations and complicated feelings that Sam and Penny have towards their loved ones felt very real and relatable to many people, I’d bet.

This contemporary debut could likely fall under the categories of both young adult and new adult given the characters and the setting. Emergency Contact is great for fans of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Ann Y.K. Choi’s Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety (both of which I also really enjoyed!)

At first I didn't have any connection with any of the characters and found it very difficult to find them likeable, but as the story progressed I liked near enough every character. There were a few pop culture references or jokes that I didn't particularly care for, and I didn't like that there was talk of sexual assault that seemed to be almost brushed off... I felt this was a better opportunity to address this, particularly as this book is YA.

The story isn't particularly deep, and is kind of everywhere with multiple "almost deaths" and a baby scare, but overall, it was enjoyable and mostly light-hearted.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a great contemporary read! The book was realistic and the characters were ordinary (which is not a bad thing!) Sam and Penny were flawed and awkward but it only made them more relatable and likable.

Sam and Penny's friendship grew slowly as the book went on but it was interesting to read how their relationship developed through text messages. They shared a connection over their dreams and fears and they were able to support each other by merely being the person the other could count on.

This book definitely had a slow burn romance but it was worth the read!

3.5/5 stars

: I absolutely loved this book and brace yourself for an incredibly swoony review. When I read the premise, I knew I had to have it; it was an instant add to my TBR. I've been absolutely loving all the amazing YA that has come out recently with female Asian protagonists. This makes my heart swell, because finally, I can see myself in a story. This story is particularly special to me because I empathize so much with Penny in so many ways. The way that Penny and Sam meet is quite peculiar. She finds Sam having a panic attack on the side of the road and they exchange numbers and become each others Emergency Contacts. They begin talking and while the conversation is great, it inhabits the world of the cellphone only. I love how they come to navigate seeing each other in real life again and just getting to know one another. I loved their text messages so much and I really liked that it wasn't an insta-love narrative. I love relationships that are originally built on friendship first.

Penny's relationship with her mother was one part of the story I really enjoyed. There's that moment where your parent becomes a friend, and that can always be difficult waters to navigate. I loved that their relationship wasn't perfect but they were able to find a happy compromise, and I especially liked how it wrapped up in the end with them coming to understand one another. Penny's relationship with her mother contrasts Sam's relationship with his mother, because Sam has such a difficult one with his mother. It's just bad and he comes from a terribly broken home. It was nice that despite his difficulties with his mother, he was able to find solace and an ally in Penny, and I'm so glad he was able to talk about his problems with her.

The book also takes place in college which I can definitely empathize with more. I remember being like Penny and having that weird moment of getting to know your roommate. I really liked Jude as a secondary character too. She was nice and quirky and I love just how much an effort she made constantly. I also really liked hearing about Penny's creative writing class and seeing her story unravel. The story she focused on was so strange with the Anima, but I loved how it was reflective of what she was dealing with in her own life.

The biggest takeaway for me was how to deal with toxic people in your life and this was the case for Sam. He had to learn to come to terms with how things were with Lorraine and how to deal with his mother. We often put ourselves in scenarios with people that simply aren't good for us time and time again, because of guilt, but also loneliness. I loved that this book touched on how despite being lonely, you don't have to settle. I also love that it touched on how relationships can change as well. In the beginning, I wasn't a huge fan of Mallory, but she definitely grew on me towards the end. This is by far my favorite book of this year. It had everything I love about young adult contemporary reads. It focused on family, friendship, and love, but with a heavy emphasis on loneliness. If you are a fan of Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park, I definitely think you would enjoy this one! Please do yourself a favor and pick it up, you won't regret it (and also once you are done, please tweet at me so we can swoon over it).

It was an entertaining read. I definitely would recommend it to young adults. Things aren't always as they seem from a teenager's perspective. Mother-daughter relationships, mental health, and relationships are explored well.

The verdict is in after much deliberation and I've decided I like this book quite a lot. It just took me a while while reading to come around to doing so, and I hate myself for the reason why.

I found it awkward to have a male character who wore his emotions on his sleeve so much, who felt so deeply that he couldn't help but let it show. 

I want you to know, people or persons reading this, that this is not a statement of something wrong with the book but rather a statement of what I have become as a reader, and as someone who didn't even realize they bought into society's shitty ideals of what people should be. 

So thank you, author, for reminding me that there is nothing wrong at all with anyone of any gender who feels so deeply that it shows. In fact it is downright refreshing, as was much of this book. 

It's not your run of the mill oh let's meet and fall in love kind of book. It is awkward, as romance can be awkward. It is angsty, and in some ways it hurts, but when it's going good, it's going extremely well. This book felt good to read. So good in fact that I read it twice. 

Once I realized that I suck, the book got better. It's a challenge in a way, and I'm not sure the author intended that but I would like to thank Mary H.K. Choi nonetheless because she re-opened my heart in a way, and I think that's really all I can ask for.

So this cynic would like you all to read this book. Please. With an open mind.