Review: Emma Hearts LA by Keris Stainton

This book just made me want to travel halfway across the world and be in L.A. I was both mesmerized by Keris' writing and the beauty of L.A. in this lovely companion novel to Jessie Hearts New York!

Title: Emma Hearts LA by Keris Stainton
Pages: 256
Release Date: June 7th 2012
Published by: Orchard Books
Source: Publisher (thanks, Vicki and Laure!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

Emma's not sure that LA's for her, but when she accompanies her sister Jane to an audition, a chance meeting with a teen TV star starts to change her new sunshine lifestyle for the better... But what about Oscar, so far her only friend in LA, who's turning out NOT to be the idiot she thought he was?

Soon Emma begins to find herself torn between two boys and reconsidering her entire future.

Maybe LA's not that bad after all

If you loved Emma in Jessie Hearts LA, then you'll be delighted with this novel. Emma gets her own story, and it's just as sweet and romantic. Now that Jessie's in New York, Emma gets the shock of her life when she finds out her mother, freshly out of a divorce, is moving in L.A. and she's taking Emma and her sister Bex with her. But Emma wasn't so sure if she will love L.A. What about her friends? Her life back home? But L.A. is bringing along changes in Emma's life she couldn't have thought of. Her friendship with a childhood friend, Oscar, is rekindled and there might be a potential love interest in the wings, in the form of a hot, young celebrity. Now who says L.A. is boring?

No one likes change, and knowing this, I understand Emma. Starting over in a place far away from home is never easy. But sometimes taking a chance in an unfamiliar place can bring about unexpected surprises and Emma is about to find out how L.A. can change her. Funny, outgoing, quirky and definitely lovable, these are the qualities that makes Emma a sure hit to the readers. Despite her reservations for L.A., which is a natural reaction, Emma finds herself enjoying life in a new place when she gave it a chance. A fresh start, a chance of starting over led Emma to contemplate how she will go about with her life. She just can't be half-hearted about living her life, not when she's in L.A., not when she's getting a fresh perspective in a new place. Who would have thought that a place can change a person? Emma found the answers she was looking for in Manchester and with her stay in L.A., she grew to be more mature and decisive.

For the first time in a long while, I found myself rooting for the best friend and not the hot, popular guy. Keris Stainton worked her magic on Oscar, and readers will be extremely fond of his geeky self. What makes him more attractive than being the red-haired childhood friend of Emma is his personality, his lovely singing voice, his steadfast belief that Emma can be who she wants to be if she just wants to try. I loved all of the Big Bang Theory and Star Wars references! Sometimes you just need to discover the inner geek in you, and Oscar, with his own amazing qualities that can make anyone laugh, is just so adorable and charming! There's something bittersweet about the way he was holding out his feelings for Emma for so long. With Alex, we see that sometimes, being a celebrity is not what it's cut out to be. Choosing to be in the limelight and constantly being watched is not something Emma wanted but she was also in a complicated situation where being long-time friends doesn't seem enough and being more than that is scary. I was more attracted with the concept of being friends and then lovers that being with a celebrity. Keris' gave both boys a chance, and like Emma, it's up to the readers to think if she chose right!

Keris' vivid description of L.A. makes it such an interesting place to visit especially for those who have not. It makes one realize that there's so much to see in the world, that being confined in one place all your life might not as good as it sounds. Emma had a once in a lifetime opportunity to be in a different place and have a clean slate, and look at what it brought? Emma Hearts LA is a whirlwind tale of friendship and the ever thin line between friends and lovers, a complicated romance with very sweet moments and those hard truths about love and what it might mean to a family who has broken up. There's just so much to learn in Emma Hearts L.A., because it's not just a tale of Emma moving to a new place, but a story about a girl who faces her life when big changes arrive one after another and how she copes with it. Keris crafted a good, solid set of characters and a light, funny story that readers will like. If you're looking for an easy, appealing, lovely read, Emma Hearts L.A. is for you! All the things that I enjoyed when I've read Jessie Hearts New York is with Emma! It's the perfect follow up and is just as captivating as the first one!

Content (plot, story flow, character):
Just adorable!

Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
I think I like this cover more!

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.