BOOK REVIEW ~ NOT TODAY, BUT SOMEDAY BY LORI OTTO

In December of 1994, when she was a junior in high school, Emi Hennigan discovered her father’s infidelity. Forced to transfer schools mid-year, she wasn’t trying to make new friends. In that same month, sophomore Nate Wilson’s girlfriend broke up with him. Searching for someone to fill the void left by his first love, he meets Emi in his art class.

Nate knows he wants Emi from the moment he sees her. Emi knows she needs Nate after one night together. A life-long friendship is born, and a pact is made to ensure that nothing will come between them. 

This novella is the prequel to the Emi Lost & Found series. After the 3-volume series was published, readers wanted more. This is for them – the story of how Nate and Emi met – and although it’s a prequel, it can be enjoyed before or after the series.

Not Today, but Someday tells the story of how Emi Hennigan and Nate Wilson first met. It’s 1995, and both are in high school. After publicly discovering her father’s infidelity, Emi and the rest of her family relocate and she’s forced to transfer schools, landing at the high school Nate goes to. Around the same time, Nate’s girlfriend breaks up with him and he’s left feeling empty and at a loss. These two people who are completely different from each other meet and in an almost transcendent but believable way, connect with each other.

I love how REAL this story is, and how well Emi and Nate complement each other. After catching her father cheating, Emi turns cynical and scoffs at the idea of love. Never expecting betrayal from the one closest to her, Emi fears getting hurt and believes that love isn’t enough.
“I want whatever won’t hurt me. I want whatever leaves me whole, and keeps my faith in the belief that bad things don’t happen to good people.”
Nate, on the other hand, is a romantic at heart and firm believer that everything happens for a reason. He’s patient, thoughtful, and just wise beyond his years.
“You have to have a little faith. Maybe not today…but someday.”
Another part of the book that stood out to me was Nate’s art. I love how it wasn’t just a hobby; his passion for art and his paintings are an extension of himself, and his way of communicating & reaching out to others.

The writing is just flawless. Technically speaking, this book is categorized as YA, and books in that genre tend to bore me or piss me off with character immaturity but neither happened with this story. There’s a depth and quality to this book that many prequels, heck, even full length novels lack.
The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because it took me a couple of chapters to connect with Emi’s character. She’s feisty and stubborn as a mule, which are admirable characteristics and totally understandable given her recent family dynamics.
The book ended on a very high note, and it really does what a prequel should do: it provided me some important background information about Emi and Nate’s early friendship and prepared me for what I just know will happen in the trilogy.
“I know what I have to do. When she’s ready for love, I’ll fight for her.”

Note: Although this is a prequel, you can read it before or after finishing the trilogy. However, I highlyrecommend reading this story first. It really sets up the premise of the series and explains more about Emi and Nate’s characters.

You know what’s even more awesome than reading a fabulous book? The book is FREE!!! Pick it up!!AMAZONP.S. I recommend buying the entire series bundle! It comes with this prequel, the trilogy, and two extra