Mary H.K. Choi (2018)
Genre
Young Adult / Romance
Reading Time
394 min
Key Themes
See below
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A new writer and a struggling filmmaker navigate modern romance through text messages, finding connection in the digital world.
Penny Lee, a new writer, arrives in Austin, Texas, to start college at the University of Texas. She wants to escape her dull high school life and her superficial boyfriend, Scott. However, her first experience is not the freeing start she imagined. Her roommate, Mallory, is very friendly and already has a social group, making Penny feel more alone. Penny struggles to get around the large campus, feels awkward socially, and has strong anxiety about fitting in and doing well, especially in her creative writing class where she feels great pressure to write well. She finds comfort in watching others and writing in her journal.
Sam, an aspiring filmmaker, is stuck in Austin. He works at a coffee shop, 'The Daily Grind,' where he also secretly lives in an upstairs storage room because of money problems. He is still recovering from a bad breakup with his ex-girlfriend, Lydia, who left him for his best friend and business partner, Jude. This betrayal has left him creatively stuck and very insecure. Sam spends his days serving coffee and trying to save his film projects, but his old laptop is dying, and his bank account is nearly empty, adding to his growing despair and feeling like a failure.
Penny, feeling lonely and overwhelmed, visits 'The Daily Grind' cafe. She orders a scone, but when she tries to eat it, she chokes. Sam, working behind the counter, helps her and performs the Heimlich maneuver, saving her. The incident is very embarrassing for Penny, and Sam is equally embarrassed by the chaotic scene. Despite the mortifying situation, they exchange numbers, mainly because Penny feels obligated and Sam is still concerned. This first interaction shows their shared social awkwardness, setting the stage for their unusual connection.
After their terrible first meeting, Penny and Sam start texting. What begins as a hesitant exchange quickly becomes a deep, honest conversation. They find it easier to be open and real through text messages than in person. Penny shares her anxieties about college, her family, and her writing, while Sam tells her about his money problems, his filmmaking dreams, and the pain of his past relationship with Lydia and Jude. Their texts become a safe place where they can share their deepest fears and hopes without the pressure of face-to-face interaction, quickly becoming each other's 'emergency contact.'
Despite Penny's initial doubts, her roommate Mallory is kind and supportive. Mallory encourages Penny to try new things and introduces her to new experiences on campus. Meanwhile, Penny often texts her mother, Mimi, a famous children's book author. Mimi is loving but also very critical and has high expectations for Penny's writing career, adding more pressure to Penny's already anxious life. Penny struggles to balance her desire for independence with her mother's constant influence and tries to manage her own artistic path.
Sam is constantly reminded of his past relationship with Lydia and the painful betrayal by Jude, his former best friend and collaborator. The emotional scars make him hesitant to trust or open up to new people, especially romantically. He often rehashes the details of their breakup in his texts with Penny, showing the depth of his hurt and his struggle to move on. This past trauma greatly influences his current behavior, making him wary of commitment and focused almost entirely on his filmmaking ambitions as a way to escape and find validation.
Encouraged by their deep text connection, Penny and Sam decide to try an actual date. The experience is very awkward and uncomfortable. They struggle to match the easy flow of their text conversations in person, leading to long silences and missed cues. Penny feels self-conscious and disappointed, while Sam becomes quiet, convinced he has ruined their unique bond. The date shows the big difference between their digital intimacy and their real-world interactions, leaving both of them confused and unsure about the future of their relationship.
Inspired by her conversations with Sam and her observations of life in Austin, Penny finally starts to find her voice as a writer. She begins working on a new story that feels real and personal. However, when she shares some of her work with her mother, Mimi, Mimi gives unasked-for and overly critical feedback, trying to guide Penny's writing in a direction she prefers. This causes significant tension between them, as Penny pushes back against her mother's influence, asserting her independence and her own artistic vision for the first time.
Sam's money situation becomes very bad, threatening his ability to stay in Austin and pursue his film dreams. His old laptop finally breaks, a major blow to his creative work. To make things worse, Lydia, his ex-girlfriend, reappears in his life, offering a possible chance to work on a film project with Jude. This proposition forces Sam to face his unresolved feelings of betrayal and anger, as he considers whether to accept the offer for his career or to keep his emotional distance from his past trauma.
After the bad date and Sam's growing struggles, Penny and Sam have a period of awkwardness and less frequent texting. They both feel the loss of their unique connection. Eventually, they must confront their feelings. Penny realizes how much Sam means to her and how their text relationship has helped her grow. Sam, in turn, acknowledges his deep affection for Penny and the comfort she brings, despite his fears of vulnerability. They have an honest conversation, admitting their anxieties about physical intimacy but also their undeniable emotional bond.
Driven by her feelings, Penny makes an unexpected visit to Sam at the cafe. This spontaneous act of bravery surprises both of them. During this visit, they share a more comfortable, less awkward interaction than their previous date. They confirm their unique bond, acknowledging that their relationship might not fit typical molds but is very meaningful to them. They decide to continue exploring their connection, understanding that it will take time and effort to turn their intense text intimacy into a comfortable physical relationship, but they are willing to try.
Penny continues to do well in her writing, finding her own voice and making peace with her mother's influence. She develops stronger friendships at college and becomes more confident. Sam makes a difficult decision about Lydia and Jude, choosing his own path forward. He finds a more stable living situation and continues to pursue his filmmaking dreams with new determination. Penny and Sam continue their deep text relationship, mixed with increasingly comfortable in-person interactions, accepting that their connection is unique and that their shared vulnerability is its greatest strength, looking forward to a future where they can grow both together and as individuals.
The Protagonist
Penny transforms from an insecure, socially anxious freshman into a more confident writer and individual, learning to assert her independence and embrace an unconventional relationship.
The Protagonist
Sam moves from a state of emotional stagnation and financial desperation to confronting his past traumas, finding renewed creative purpose, and opening himself up to love.
The Supporting
Mallory remains a constant, supportive presence, helping Penny adjust to college life and offering unwavering friendship.
The Supporting
Mimi remains a strong influence, with Penny learning to navigate her expectations while asserting her own artistic independence.
The Supporting
Lydia's presence serves as a catalyst for Sam to finally confront and move past his emotional baggage.
The Mentioned
Jude's past actions are a constant reminder of Sam's trauma, which Sam eventually learns to overcome.
The Mentioned
Scott is quickly discarded as Penny moves on to a more meaningful relationship and self-discovery.
The novel shows how technology can help create deep emotional connections, especially for people with social anxiety, while also showing the awkwardness of bringing that intimacy into real life. Penny and Sam's relationship thrives through texts, letting them share vulnerabilities they wouldn't in person. Their first in-person meetings are uncomfortable, a sharp contrast to their digital ease. This theme questions old ideas of romance and suggests that real connection can be made in new ways, even if it takes effort to bridge the digital and physical gap.
“It was easier to be honest with someone you couldn't see, someone who couldn't see you. The screen was a shield, a confessional booth, a blank canvas for projected dreams.”
Anxiety is a common theme, especially through Penny. Her inner thoughts are full of self-doubt, overthinking, and social fear. Sam also deals with anxiety from his past trauma and money problems. The book normalizes these struggles, showing how they affect daily life and relationships. The texting becomes a way for both characters to manage their anxiety by connecting deeply without the immediate pressure of being physically present. The story compassionately shows the inner battles of young adults dealing with complex emotions.
“Penny's anxiety was a low hum, a constant static in her brain, but sometimes it flared into a full-blown siren, deafening her to everything else.”
Both Penny and Sam are aspiring artists trying to find their unique voices. Penny, a new writer, struggles under her famous mother's shadow and the pressure to write 'good' work, eventually finding her true voice through her experiences and connection with Sam. Sam, a filmmaker, is creatively stuck by past trauma and money problems, desperate to prove himself. Their artistic journeys are linked to their personal growth, as finding their voice means understanding and accepting who they are. The novel shows the vulnerability and persistence needed for creative work.
“He wanted to make films that punched you in the gut, that made you feel something real, not just pretty pictures.”
The novel explores the challenge of moving past old hurts and expectations. Sam is haunted by Lydia and Jude's betrayal, which affects his ability to trust and pursue his dreams. Penny struggles to break free from her mother's strong influence and the superficiality of her high school life. Both characters must face these past issues to create new paths. Their connection helps them process and let go of their pasts, allowing them to grow and embrace new possibilities. It is a journey of healing and self-freedom.
“The past was a lead weight in his pocket, dragging him down, but Penny's texts felt like a helium balloon, tugging him towards the surface.”
The central communication method between Penny and Sam, facilitating deep emotional intimacy.
Text messaging is not just a form of communication but a core plot device. It allows Penny and Sam, both socially awkward and anxious, to bypass the pressures of in-person interaction and forge a deep, honest emotional connection. The asynchronous nature of texting provides time for reflection and crafting responses, enabling a level of vulnerability and self-disclosure that would be difficult face-to-face. This device directly drives the development of their relationship, highlighting how technology can foster intimacy in unique ways and setting up the central conflict of translating digital connection to physical reality.
A disastrous, embarrassing first meeting that ironically kickstarts the protagonists' connection.
The novel deliberately subverts the traditional romantic 'meet-cute' trope. Instead of a charming, serendipitous encounter, Penny and Sam's first meeting involves Penny choking on a scone and Sam performing the Heimlich maneuver. This highly awkward and embarrassing incident, rather than being endearing, is a source of mortification for both characters. However, it's precisely this shared, uncomfortable experience that forces them to exchange numbers and initiates their unique, text-based relationship. The subversion highlights the characters' inherent awkwardness and sets the tone for their unconventional romance, demonstrating that connection can arise from the most unromantic circumstances.
The narrative alternates between Penny's and Sam's internal thoughts and experiences.
The novel employs an alternating first-person limited perspective, switching between Penny's and Sam's viewpoints. This device provides deep insight into each character's anxieties, desires, and internal monologues, allowing readers to fully understand their individual struggles and motivations. It emphasizes their isolation and internal worlds, while also highlighting their shared emotional landscape. The alternating perspectives build empathy for both protagonists and allows the reader to experience the development of their relationship from both sides, particularly their contrasting feelings about their in-person interactions versus their text conversations.
The idea of being a vital, trusted person in another's life, both literally and figuratively.
The title 'Emergency Contact' serves as a powerful metaphor throughout the novel. Initially, it refers to the literal exchange of numbers after Penny's choking incident. However, it quickly evolves to symbolize Penny and Sam's role as each other's emotional lifelines. They become the trusted individuals to whom they can turn in moments of crisis, anxiety, or vulnerability, sharing their deepest fears and secrets. This device underscores the profound emotional support they provide each other, emphasizing that an 'emergency contact' isn't just for physical emergencies but also for the urgent needs of the heart and mind, especially for young adults feeling lost and alone.
“I was just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her. No, wait. That’s a movie. I was just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to not be a serial killer.”
— Penny's internal monologue upon meeting Sam for the first time in person.
“Being lonely and being alone are two different things, and I’ve been both. And I prefer alone. Alone is a choice. Lonely is a circumstance.”
— Penny reflecting on her social life and her preference for solitude.
“It was like he was the sun and I was a tiny, insignificant planet, just orbiting him, hoping for a little warmth.”
— Penny's initial infatuation and intense feelings for Sam.
“We were two broken people trying to fix each other with the wrong tools.”
— Penny's realization about the nature of her and Sam's relationship.
“The internet was a vast ocean of information, and I was just a little boat, trying not to capsize.”
— Penny's general feeling about navigating online interactions and information overload.
“Sometimes the most honest conversations happen when you’re not looking each other in the eye.”
— Penny contemplating the intimacy and honesty of text and online conversations.
“He tasted like coffee and desperation, which, honestly, was my favorite flavor.”
— Penny's description of kissing Sam.
“I felt like I was constantly trying to catch up to my own life, like it was running away from me.”
— Penny's internal struggle with feeling overwhelmed and out of control.
“Maybe love wasn't about finding your other half, but about finding someone who made you feel like a whole person, even when you were by yourself.”
— Penny's evolving understanding of love and self-worth.
“It’s hard to be a person. It’s even harder to be a person who feels things.”
— Penny's reflection on the difficulty of emotional vulnerability.
“I was a human disaster, but at least I was a human disaster with a good Wi-Fi connection.”
— Penny's self-deprecating humor about her life situation.
“You can’t just wait for things to happen. You have to make them happen.”
— A piece of advice Penny receives or gives, emphasizing agency.
“He was like a perfectly curated playlist of all my favorite sad songs.”
— Penny's description of Sam's appeal and his melancholic charm.
“The future was a blank canvas, and I was holding a crayon, not a paintbrush.”
— Penny's feeling of uncertainty and unpreparedness for her future.
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