With Famous in a Small Town releasing last week, it seemed like the best time to catch up on Emma Mills’ backlist. See, I had the pleasure of listening to First & Last on audio and haven’t been blessed with an audio since. I make the rare exception to my audio reading and pick up an ebook - with an author like Emma, it’s worth it!

Every author has the thing they bring to life better than anyone else and Emma Mills brings female friendships to life in Foolish Hearts in a way that’s just completely real.

When Claudia accidentally witnesses an epic breakup, the last thing she expects is to lead down a pathway toward friendship with the prickly half of the pair. The last thing Claudia thinks she needs is to be stuck with Iris. But stuck with Iris she is.

Iris is short, closed off, clearly she’s got some stuff keeping that tough exterior intact. Watching her and Claudia grow into a beautiful friendship is the true storyline and joy in this book.

Now, we can’t talk about this story without Gideon. He’s such a great book boyfriend. Funny. Kind. Well-rounded. He’s just a nice dude. Can we get more of those? He’s not broken. Just solid. The romance here is too sweet.

I appreciate that Emma Mills normalized female gaming and took it to another level by adding in connecting with distance family and friends via online gaming. Instead of teasing, some of the characters show interest in knowing more. So, thank you for that.

Foolish Hearts is one of those stories where the plot revolves around the characters so if you’re looking for a book with drama and action, you’re missing the point of the story. Friendship, relationships, and being a teen are the shining stars here!